hould like to live long enough to see the course of the Tiber turned,
and the bottom of the river thoroughly dredged. I wonder if they would
find the seven-branched golden candlestick brought from Jerusalem by
Titus, and said to have been dropped from the Milvian bridge. I
have often thought of going fishing for it some year when I wanted
a vacation, as some of my friends used to go to Ireland to fish for
salmon. There was an attempt of that kind, I think, a few years ago.

We all know how it looks well enough, from the figure of it on the Arch
of Titus, but I should like to "heft" it in my own hand, and carry it
home and shine it up (excuse my colloquialisms), and sit down and look
at it, and think and think and think until the Temple of Solomon
built up its walls of hewn stone and its roofs of cedar around me as
noiselessly as when it rose, and "there was neither hammer nor axe nor
any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building."

All this, you will remember, Beloved, is a digression on my own account,
and I return to the old Master whom I left smiling at his own alteration
of Shenstone's celebrated inscription. He now begin reading again:

--I want it to be understood that I consider that a certain number
of persons are at liberty to dislike me peremptorily, without showing
cause, and that they give no offence whatever in so doing.

If I did not cheerfully acquiesce in this sentiment towards myself
on the part of others, I should not feel at liberty to indulge my
own aversions. I try to cultivate a Christian feeling to all my
fellow-creatures, but inasmuch as I must also respect truth and honesty,
I confess to myself a certain number of inalienable dislikes and
prejudices, some of which may possibly be shared by others. Some of
these are purely instinctive, for others I can assign a reason. Our
likes and dislikes play so important a part in the Order of Things that
it is well to see on what they are founded.

There are persons I meet occasionally who are too intelligent by half
for my liking. They know my thoughts beforehand, and tell me what I was
going to say. Of course they are masters of all my knowledge, and a
good deal besides; have read all the books I have read, and in later
editions; have had all the experiences I have been through, and
more-too. In my private opinion every mother's son of them will lie at
any time rather than confess ignorance.

--I have a kind of dread, rather than hatre