'Don't you know Whiter?I thought everybody knew Reverend Whiter the philologist,though I suppose you scarcely know what that means.A man fond of tongues and languages,quite out of your way-he understands some twenty;what do you say to that?'
'Is he a sound man?'
'Why,as to that,I scarcely know what to say:he has got queer notions in his head-wrote a book to prove that all words came originally from the earth-who knows?Words have roots,and roots live in the earth;but,upon the whole,I should not call him altogether a sound man,though he can talk Greek nearly as fast as Parr.'
'Is he a round man?'
'Ay,boy,rounder than Parr;I'll sing you a song,if you like,which will let you into his character:-'Give me the haunch of a buck to eat,and to drink Madeira old,And a gentle wife to rest with,and in my arms to fold,An Arabic book to study,a Norfolk cob to ride,And a house to live in shaded with trees,and near to a river side;With such good things around me,and blessed with good health withal,Though I should live for a hundred years,for death I would not call.
Here's to Whiter's health-so you know nothing about the fight?'
'No,sir;the truth is,that of late I have been very much occupied with various matters,otherwise I should,perhaps,have been able to afford you some information-boxing is a noble art.'
'Can you box?'
'A little.'
'I tell you what,my boy;I honour you,and provided your education had been a little less limited,I should have been glad to see you here in company with Parr and Whiter;both can box.Boxing is,as you say,a noble art-a truly English art;may I never see the day when Englishmen shall feel ashamed of it,or blacklegs and blackguards bring it into disgrace.I am a magistrate,and,of course,cannot patronise the thing very openly,yet I sometimes see a prize fight:I saw the Game Chicken beat Gulley.'
'Did you ever see Big Ben?'
'No;why do you ask?'But here we heard a noise,like that of a gig driving up to the door,which was immediately succeeded by a violent knocking and ringing,and after a little time the servant who had admitted me made his appearance in the room.'Sir,'said he,with a certain eagerness of manner,'here are two gentlemen waiting to speak to you.'
'Gentlemen waiting to speak to me!who are they?'
'I don't know,sir,'said the servant;'but they look like sporting gentlemen,and-and'-here he hesitated;'from a word or two they dropped,I almost think that they come about the fight.'
'About the fight!'said the magistrate.'No;that can hardly be;however,you had better show them in.'