es. When trifles make themselves habits of yours or of mine,
they become a part of your character or mine. We have an inveterately
false and vicious system of society in England. If you want to trace
one of the causes, look back to the little organized insincerities of
English life."

Of course you understand, Cecilia, that this was not all said at one
burst, as I have written it here. Some of it came out in the way of
answers to my inquiries, and some of it was spoken in the intervals of
laughing, talking, and tea-drinking. But I want to show you how very
different this young man is from the young men whom we are in the habit
of meeting, and so I huddle his talk together in one sample, as Papa
Farnaby would call it.

My dear, he is decidedly handsome (I mean our delightful Amelius); his
face has a bright, eager look, indescribably refreshing as a contrast
to the stolid composure of the ordinary young Englishman. His smile is
charming; he moves as gracefully--with as little self-consciousness--as
my Italian greyhound. He has been brought up among the strangest people
in America; and (would you believe it?) he is actually a Socialist.
Don't be alarmed. He shocked us all dreadfully by declaring that his
Socialism was entirely learnt out of the New Testament. I have looked at
the New Testament, since he mentioned some of his principles to me; and,
do you know, I declare it is true!

Oh, I forgot--the young Socialist plays and sings! When we asked him
to go to the piano, he got up and began directly. "I don't do it well
enough," he said, "to want a great deal of pressing." He sang old
English songs, with great taste and sweetness. One of the gentlemen of
our party, evidently disliking him, spoke rather rudely, I thought.
"A Socialist who sings and plays," he said, "is a harmless Socialist
indeed. I begin to feel that my balance is safe at my banker's, and
that London won't be set on fire with petroleum this time." He got his
answer, I can tell you. "Why should we set London on fire? London takes
a regular percentage of your income from you, sir, whether you like it
or not, on sound Socialist principles. You are the man who has got the
money, and Socialism says:--You must and shall help the man who has got
none. That is exactly what your own Poor Law says to you, every time the
collector leaves the paper at your house." Wasn't it clever?--and it was
doubly severe, because it was good-humouredly said.

Between ourselves,