"I am inclined to think, on the contrary," said Mr Escot, "that the deterioration of man is accelerated by his blindness--in many respects wilful blindness--to the truth of the fact itself, and to the causes which produce it; that there is no hope whatever of ameliorating his condition but in a total and radical change of the whole scheme of human life, and that the advocates of his indefinite perfectibility are in reality the greatest enemies to the practical possibility of their own system, by so strenuously labouring to impress on his attention that he is going on in a good way, while he is really in a deplorably bad one." "I admit," said Mr Foster, "there are many things that may, and therefore will, be changed for the better." "Not on the present system," said Mr Escot, "in which every change is for the worse." "In matters of taste I am sure it is," said Mr Gall: "there is, in fact, no such thing as good taste left in the world." "Oh, Mr Gall!" said Miss Philomela Poppyseed, "I thought my novel----" "My paintings," said Sir Patrick O'Prism---- "My ode," said Mr Mac Laurel---- "My ballad," said Mr Nightshade---- "My plan for Lord Littlebrain's park," said Marmaduke Milestone, Esquire---- "My essay," said Mr Treacle---- "My sonata," said Mr Chromatic---- "My claret," said Squire Headlong---- "My lectures," said Mr Cranium---- "Vanity of vanities," said the Reverend Doctor Gaster, turning down an empty egg-shell; "all is vanity and vexation of spirit." CHAPTER XI The Anniversary Among the _dies alba creta notandos_, which the beau monde of the Cambrian mountains was in the habit of remembering with the greatest pleasure, and anticipating with the most lively satisfaction, was the Christmas ball which the ancient family of the Headlongs had been accustomed to give from time immemorial. Tradition attributed the honour of its foundation to Headlong Ap-Headlong Ap-Breakneck Ap-Headlong Ap-Cataract Ap-Pistyll Ap-Rhaidr[11.1] Ap-Headlong, who lived about the time of the Trojan war. Certain it is, at least, that a grand chorus was always sung after supper in honour of this illustrious ancestor of the squire. This ball was, indeed, an aera in the lives of all the beauty and fashion of Caernarvon, Meirionnydd, and Anglesea, and, like the Greek Olympiads and the Roman consulates, served as the main pillar of memory, round which all the events of the year were suspended and entwined. Thus, in recalling to mind any circumstance imperfectly recollected, the principal point to be ascertained was, whether it had occurred in the year of the first, second, third, or fourth ball of Headlong Ap-Breakneck, or Headlong Ap-Torrent, or Headlong Ap-Hurricane; and, this being satisfactorily established, the remainder followed of course in the natural order of its ancient association.