In other words you might have known that I was no bachelor. Precisely. Sir! you are very obliging. And now, perhaps, I may be allowed to finish the demonstration. I undertook to convince you, if you remember, that every human being, with his eyes about him, has, under all circumstances, and at all times, within his reach, and subject to his order, a heap of amusement, a whole treasury of unappropriated wisdom. And all I have asked of you thus far is to admit, that if a man will but go forth into the solitary place and lie down, and stretch himself out, and look up into the sky, and watch the flowers and leaves pictured and playing there--provided he be not more than half asleep, and has a duffel great-coat under him, water-proof shoes and a snug umbrella within reach, and no fear of the rheumatism; he may find it one of the pleasantest things in the world; though it may happen that he has no idea of poetry, and cares for nothing on earth beyond a pair of embroidered slippers, a warm, padded, comfortable dressing-gown, or a snuff-colored cigar if at home; or a fishing-rod, a doubtful sky, and a bit of a brook, all to himself, when he is out in the open air. And in short, for I love to come to the point, (in these matters,) all I ask of you, being a bachelor, is to admit-- I'll admit any thing, if you'll stop there. Agreed. You admit, then, that an old bachelor, wedded to trout-fishing and tobacco-smoke; familiar with nothing but whist, yarn stockings, flannels and shooting-jackets; without the least possible relish for landscape or color, for the twittering of birds, or the swarming of bumble-bees and forest-leaves; with no sense of poetry, and a mortal hatred of rigmarole, may nevertheless and notwithstanding-- Better take breath, sir. May notwithstanding and nevertheless, I say, find something worth looking at, on a warm summer afternoon, though he be lying half asleep on his back, with the clover-blossoms and buttercups nodding over him; to say nothing of thistle-tops, dandelions or white-weed-- I do--I do!--I'll admit any thing, as I told you before. Well, then--in that case--I do not see what difficulty there would be in supposing that _any_ man might find something to be good-natured with _anywhere_. Not so fast, if you please. Would you have it inferred, because an old bachelor, whose comforts are few--and _far_ between!--and whose habits--and opinions--are fixed forever, could put up with Nature for a short summer afternoon, under the circumstances you mention--with a great-coat under him, and a reasonable share of other comforts within reach, that, _therefore_, anybody on earth, a married man, for example, should find it a very easy thing to be happy _any_ where, under _any_ circumstances?--even at home now, for instance, with his wife and children about him?