rth, like a knight-errant and his squire, in search of
a stray damsel. Methinks I am an epitome of the church
militant, or a new species of polemical divinity. Pray
Heaven, however, there be no such encounter in store for us;
for I utterly forgot to provide myself with weapons.'

"'I took some thought for that matter, reverend knight,'
replied Edward, whose imagination was highly tickled by Dr.
Melmoth's chivalrous comparison.

"'Aye, I see that you have girded on a sword,' said the
divine. 'But wherewith shall I defend myself? my hand being
empty except of this golden-headed staff, the gift of Mr.
Langton.'

"'One of these, if you will accept it,' answered Edward,
exhibiting a brace of pistols, 'will serve to begin the
conflict before you join the battle hand to hand.'

"'Nay, I shall find little safety in meddling with that
deadly instrument, since I know not accurately from which
end proceeds the bullet,' said Dr. Melmoth. 'But were it not
better, since we are so well provided with artillery, to
betake ourselves, in the event of an encounter, to some
stone wall or other place of strength?'

"'If I may presume to advise,' said the squire, 'you, as
being most valiant and experienced, should ride forward,
lance in hand (your long staff serving for a lance), while I
annoy the enemy from afar.'

"'Like Teucer, behind the shield of Ajax,' interrupted Dr.
Melmoth, 'or David with his stone and sling. No, no, young
man; I have left unfinished in my study a learned treatise,
important not only to the present age, but to posterity, for
whose sake I must take heed to my safety. But, lo! who rides
yonder?'"

On leaving college Hawthorne had gone back to live at Salem.

* * * * *

CHAPTER II.

EARLY MANHOOD.

The twelve years that followed were not the happiest or most brilliant
phase of Hawthorne's life; they strike me indeed as having had an
altogether peculiar dreariness. They had their uses; they were the
period of incubation of the admirable compositions which eventually
brought him reputation and prosperity. But of their actual aridity the
young man must have had a painful consciousness; he never lost the
impression of it. Mr. Lathrop quotes a phrase to this effect from one
of his letters, late in life. "I am disposed to th