d cupboard door. "Oh, thunder and
turf, look here," he went on, as the state of affairs inside
disclosed itself to his view; "how many times have I told that
thief George never to put anything on this side of my cupboard!
Two tumblers smashed to bits, and I've only four in the world.
Lucky we had those two out on the table."

"And here's a great piece out of the sugar-basin, you see," said
Tom, holding up the broken article; "and, let me see, one cup and
three saucers gone to glory."

"Well, it's lucky it's no worse," said Hardy, peering over his
shoulder; "I had a lot of odd saucers, and there's enough left to
last my time. Never mind the smash, let's sit down again and be
reasonable."

Tom sat down in high good humor. He felt himself more on an
equality with his host than he had done before, and even thought
he might venture on a little mild expostulation or lecturing. But
while he was considering how to improve the occasion Hardy began
himself.

"I shouldn't go so furious, Brown, if I didn't care about the
place so much. I can't bear to think of it as a sort of learning
machine, in which I am to grind for three years to get certain
degrees which I want. No--this place, and Cambridge, and our
great schools, are the heart of dear old England. Did you ever
read Secretary Cook's address to the Vice-Chancellor, Doctors,
&c. in 1636--more critical times, perhaps, even than ours? No?
Well, listen then;" and he went to his bookcase, took down a
book, and read; "'The very truth is, that all wise princes
respect the welfare of their estates, and consider that schools
and universities are (as in a body) the noble and vital parts,
which being vigorous and sound send good blood and active spirits
into the veins and arteries, which cause health and strength; or,
if feeble or ill-affected, corrupt all the vital parts; whereupon
grow diseases, and in the end, death itself.' A low standard up
here for ten years may corrupt half the parishes in the kingdom."

"That's true," said Tom, "but-"

"Yes; and so one has a right to be jealous for Oxford. Every
Englishman ought to be."

"But I really think, Hardy, that you're unreasonable," said Tom,
who had no mind to be done out of his chance of lecturing his
host.

"I am very quick-tempered," said Hardy, "as I told you just now."

"But you're not fair on the fast set up here. They can't help
being rich men, after all."

"No; so one oughtn't to expect them to be going through