t deal
about Henry, and I've truly seen a valid reason for his continuous
matrimonial performances. He set himself up against the Pope, and he had
to be consistent in his antagonism."

"He did, indeed," said Boswell. "A religious discussion is a hard one."

"And Henry was consistent in his opposition," said I. "He didn't yield
a jot on any point, and while a great many people criticise him on the
score of his wives--particularly on their number--I feel that I have in
very truth discovered his principle."

"Which was?" queried Boswell.

"That the Pope was wrong in all things," said I.

"So he said," commented Boswell.

"And being wrong in all things, celibacy was wrong," said I.

"Exactly," ejaculated Boswell.

"Well, then," said I, "if celibacy is wrong, the surest way to protest
against it is to marry as many times as you can."

"By Jove!" said Boswell, tapping the keys yearningly, as though he
wished he might spare his hand to shake mine, "you are a man after my
own heart."

"Thanks, old chap," said I, reaching out my hand and shaking it in the
air with my visionary friend--"thanks. I've studied these things with
some care, and I've tried to find a reason for everything in life as
I know it. I have always regarded Henry as a moral man--as is natural,
since in spite of all you can say he is the real head of the English
Church. He wasn't willing to be married a second or a seventh time
unless he was really a widower. He wasn't as long in taking notice again
as some modern widowers that I have met, but I do not criticise him on
that score. I merely attribute his record to his kingly nature, which
involves necessarily a quickness of decision and a decided perception
of the necessities which is sadly lacking in people who are born to a
lesser station in life. England demanded a queen, and he invariably met
the demand, which shows that he knew something of political economy as
well as of matrimony; and as I see it, being an American, a man needs to
know something of political economy to be a good ruler. So many of our
statesmen have acquired a merely kindergarten knowledge of the science,
that we have had many object-lessons of the disadvantages of a merely
elementary knowledge of the subject. To come right down to it, I am
a great admirer of Henry. At any rate, he had the courage of his
heart-convictions."

"You really surprise me," tapped Boswell. "I never expected to find an
American so thoroughly in sympat