_The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ Competitive examination for clerks, and none for legislators, is not this an anomaly? Ask the honourable member for Muckborough on what acquisitions in history and mental and moral philosophy he founds his claim of competence to make laws for the nation. He can only tell you that he has been chosen as the most conspicuous Grub among the Moneygrubs of his borough to be the representative of all that is sordid, selfish, hard-hearted, unintellectual, and antipatriotic, which are the distinguishing qualities of the majority among them. Ask a candidate for a clerkship what are his qualifications? He may answer, 'All that are requisite: reading, writing, and arithmetic.' 'Nonsense,' says the questioner. 'Do you know the number of miles in direct distance from Timbuctoo to the top of Chimborazo?' 'I do not,' says the candidate. 'Then you will not do for a clerk,' says the competitive examiner. Does Moneygrub of Muckborough know? He does not; nor anything else. The clerk may be able to answer some of the questions put to him. Moneygrub could not answer one of them. But he is very fit for a legislator. _Mr. MacBorrowdale._ Eh! but he is subjected to a pretty severe competitive examination of his own, by what they call a constituency, who just put him to the test in the art of conjuring, to see if he can shift money from his own pocket into theirs, without any inconvenient third party being aware of the transfer. CHAPTER XVI MISS NIPHET--THE THEATRE--THE LAKE--DIVIDED ATTRACTION--INFALLIBLE SAFETY Amiam: che non ha tregua Con gli anni umana vita, e si dilegua. Amiam: che il sol si muore, e poi rinasce; A noi sua breve luce S'asconde, e il sonno eterna notte adduce. Tasso: Aminta. Love, while youth knows its prime, For mortal life can make no truce with time. Love: for the sun goes down to rise as bright; To us his transient light Is veiled, and sleep comes on with everlasting night. Lord Curryfin was too much a man of the world to devote his attentions in society exclusively to one, and make them the subject of special remark. He left the inner drawing-room, and came up to the doctor to ask him if he knew the young lady who had sung the last ballad. The doctor knew her well. She was Miss Niphet, the only daughter of a gentleman of fortune, residing a few miles distant. _Lord Curryfin._ As I looked at her while she was singing, I thought of Southey's description of Laila's face in _Thadaba_: A broad light floated o'er its marble paleness, As the wind waved the fountain fire.