Any news stirring, Mr. Petulengro?' said I. 'Have you heard anything of
the great religious movements?'

'Plenty,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'all the religious people, more especially
the Evangelicals--those that go about distributing tracts--are very angry
about the fight between Gentleman Cooper and White-headed Bob, {39a}
which they say ought not to have been permitted to take place; and then
they are trying all they can to prevent the fight between the lion and
the dogs, {39b} which they say is a disgrace to a Christian country.
Now, I can't say that I have any quarrel with the religious party and the
Evangelicals; they are always civil to me and mine, and frequently give
us tracts, as they call them, which neither I nor mine can read; but I
cannot say that I approve of any movements, religious or not, which have
in aim to put down all life and manly sport in this here country.'

'Anything else?' said I.

'People are becoming vastly sharp,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'and I am told
that all the old-fashioned, good-tempered constables are going to be set
aside, and a paid body of men to be established, who are not to permit a
tramper or vagabond on the roads of England;--and talking of roads, puts
me in mind of a strange story I heard two nights ago, whilst drinking
some beer at a public-house, in company with my cousin Sylvester. I had
asked Tawno to go, but his wife would not let him. Just opposite me,
smoking their pipes, were a couple of men, something like engineers, and
they were talking of a wonderful invention which was to make a wonderful
alteration in England; inasmuch as it would set aside all the old roads,
which in a little time would be ploughed up, and sowed with corn, and
cause all England to be laid down with iron roads, on which people would
go thundering along in vehicles, pushed forward by fire and smoke. Now,
brother, when I heard this, I did not feel very comfortable; for I
thought to myself, what a queer place such a road would be to pitch one's
tent upon, and how impossible it would be for one's cattle to find a bite
of grass upon it; and I thought likewise of the danger to which one's
family would be exposed of being run over and severely scorched by these
same flying, fiery vehicles; so I made bold to say, that I hoped such an
invention would never be countenanced, because it was likely to do a
great deal of harm. Whereupon, one of the men, giving me a glance, said,
without taking the pipe out of