sed to engross the whole conversation to himself;
and Mr Merton, who did not quite relish the sallies of his son so much
as his wife, was once or twice obliged to interpose and check him in his
career. This Mrs Merton thought very hard; and all the ladies, after
they had retired into the drawing-room, agreed, that his father would
certainly spoil his temper by such improper contradiction.

As to little Harry, he had not the good fortune to please the greater
number of the ladies. They observed that he was awkward and ungenteel,
and had a heavy, clownish look; he was also silent and reserved, and had
not said a single agreeable thing; if Mr Barlow chose to keep a school
for carters and threshers, nobody would hinder him, but it was not
proper to introduce such vulgar people to the sons of persons of
fashion. It was therefore agreed that Mr Barlow ought either to send
little Harry home to his friends, or to be no more honoured with the
company of Master Merton. Indeed, one of the ladies hinted, that Mr
Barlow himself was but "an odd kind of man, who never went to
assemblies, and played upon no kind of instrument."

"Why," answered Mrs Merton, "to tell the truth, I was not over fond of
the scheme. Mr Barlow, to be sure, though a very good, is a very odd
kind of man. However, as he is so disinterested, and would never receive
the least present from us, I doubt whether we could with propriety
insist upon his turning little Sandford out of the house." "If that is
the case, madam," answered Mrs Compton (for that was the name of the
lady), "I think it would be infinitely better to remove Master Merton,
and place him in some polite seminary, where he might acquire a
knowledge of the world, and make genteel connections. This will always
be the greatest advantage to a young gentleman, and will prove of the
most essential service to him in life; for, though a person has all the
merit in the world, without such acquaintance it will never push him
forward, or enable him to make a figure. This is the plan which I have
always pursued with Augustus and Matilda; I think I may say not entirely
without success, for they have both the good fortune to have formed the
most brilliant acquaintances. As to Augustus, he is so intimate with
young Lord Squander, who you know is possessed of the greatest
parliamentary interest, that I think that his fortune is as good as
made."

Miss Simmons, who was present at this refined and wise conversation,