t," said Carlton, "and that is, the influence of agitation.
I really am not politician enough to talk of it as good or bad; one's
natural instinct is against it; but it may be necessary. However,
agitation is getting to be recognised as the legitimate instrument by
which the masses make their desires known, and secure the accomplishment
of them. Just as a bill passes in parliament, after certain readings,
discussions, speeches, votings, and the like, so the process by which an
act of the popular will becomes law is a long agitation, issuing in
petitions, previous to and concurrent with the parliamentary process.
The first instance of this was about fifty or sixty years ago, when ...
Hallo!" he cried, "who is this cantering up to us?"

"I declare it is old Vincent," said Sheffield.

"He is to come to dine," said Charles, "just in time."

"How are you, Carlton?" cried Vincent. "How d'ye do, Mr. Sheffield? Mr.
Reding, how d'ye do? acting up to your name, I suppose, for you were
ever a reading man. For myself," he continued, "I am just now an eating
man, and am come to dine with you, if you will let me. Have you a place
for my horse?"

There was a farmer near who could lend a stable; so the horse was led
off by Charles; and the rider, without any delay--for the hour did not
admit it--entered the cottage to make his brief preparation for dinner.

CHAPTER II.

In a few minutes all met together at table in the small parlour, which
was room of all work in the cottage. They had not the whole house,
limited as were its resources; for it was also the habitation of a
gardener, who took his vegetables to the Oxford market, and whose wife
(what is called) _did_ for his lodgers.

Dinner was suited to the apartment, apartment to the dinner. The
book-table had been hastily cleared for a cloth, not over white, and, in
consequence, the sole remaining table, which acted as sideboard,
displayed a relay of plates and knives and forks, in the midst of
octavos and duodecimos, bound and unbound, piled up and thrown about in
great variety of shapes. The other ornaments of this side-table were an
ink-glass, some quires of large paper, a straw hat, a gold watch, a
clothes-brush, some bottles of ginger-beer, a pair of gloves, a case of
cigars, a neck-handkerchief, a shoe-horn, a small slate, a large
clasp-knife, a hammer, and a handsome inlaid writing-desk.

"I like these rides into the country," said Vincent, as they began
eating,