wine after dinner longer than usual. Among the different topics
that were discussed, the most prominent was the state of the political
parties in this country. Mr. Slick, who paid great deference to the
opinions of Mr. Hopewell, was anxious to ascertain from him what
he thought upon the subject, in order to regulate his conduct and
conversation by it hereafter.

"Minister," said he, "what do you think of the politics of the British?"

"I don't think about them at all, Sam. I hear so much of such matters at
home, that I am heartily tired of them; our political world is divided
into two classes, the knaves and the dupes. Don't let us talk of such
exciting, things."

"But, Minister," said Mr. Slick, "holdin' the high and dignified station
I do, as Attache, they will be a-pumpin' me for everlastinly, will the
great men here, and they think a plaguy sight more of our opinion than
you are aware on; we have tried all them things they are a jawin' about
here, and they naterally want to know the results. Cooper says not one
Tory called on him when he was to England, but Walter Scott; and that
I take it, was more lest folks should think he was jealous of him, than
any thing else; they jist cut him as dead as a skunk; but among the
Whigs, he was quite an oracle on ballot, univarsal suffrage, and all
other democratic institutions."

"Well, he was a ninny then, was Cooper, to go and blart it all out to
the world that way; for if no Tory visited him, I should like you to ask
him the next time you see him, how many gentlemen called upon him? Jist
ask him that, and it will stop him from writing such stuff any more."

"But, Minister, jist tell us now, here you are, as a body might say in
England, now what are you?"

"I am a man, Sam; _Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto_."

"Well, what's all that when it's fried?"

"Why, that when away from home, I am a citizen of the world. I belong to
no party, but take an interest in the whole human family."

"Well, Minister, if you choose to sing dumb, you can, but I should like
to have you answer me one question now, and if you won't, why you must
jist do t'other thing, that's all. Are you a Consarvative?"

"No."

"Are you a Whig?"

"No."

"A Radical?"

"God forbid!"

"What in natur' are you then?"

"A Tory."

"A Tory! well, I thought that a Tory and a Consarvative, were as the
Indgians say, "all same one brudder." Where is the difference?"

"You will soon find that ou