“That circumstance,” replied her husband, “will cease to astonish you, when you remember that, until the last century, muskets were very unwieldy instruments; they were never used without a rest; had no bayonets, and could not be so frequently discharged as they are at present.” “Come,” said the vicar, “I perceive that the children are impatient to try their skill with their new instrument; let us walk out, and I will play the Scythian[51] upon this occasion.” “Now, Tom,” cried Mr. Twaddleton; “we must have an object. Let me see. Shall it be the ‘_but_,’ ‘_pricke_,’ or ‘_roaver_?’[52] Come, try whether you can hit yonder gate-post. Take your bow, and here is an arrow.” Tom took the bow, and placing the arrow on the string, was about to draw the latter, when the vicar exclaimed, “Stop--stop--you must pull back your hand to your right ear, in order to shoot the arrow; whereas you have placed the bow directly before you, and are about to return your hand to the right breast.” “I thought,” said Tom, “that was the proper position; for I remember reading of the Amazonian women, who are said to have parted with their right breasts, lest they should prove an impediment to their using the bow.” “I do not mean to assert,” replied the vicar, “that there is not ample classical authority for your proceeding. The Amazons undoubtedly shot their arrows in such a position; and so, in truth, did the primitive Grecians; although the ancient Persians drew the arrow to the ear, according to the fashion of later ages, and which I greatly prefer for its superior convenience. You may also recollect, as you have been lately reading ‘The Tales of a Grandfather,’ that the superiority of the English archers was ascribed to this mode of using their bows; the words of Sir W. Scott, if I rightly recollect, are these, ‘The archers of England were taught to draw the bow-string to their right ear, while other European nations only drew it to the breast.’ Now,” continued the vicar, “if you try the difference of these postures, you will find that a much longer arrow can be drawn to the ear than to the breast, because the right arm has more room.” The party now amused themselves for some time; each shooting in his turn at the mark which was chosen for the trial; and with a success which, considering it was their first attempt, the vicar declared to be “quite marvellous.” At the conclusion of the sport, Mr. Twaddleton informed his friends, that parochial duties required his attendance at the vestry, but Mr. Seymour told him that he should expect his company in the evening.