“Well, then,” answered Lovel, whose motions were really undetermined at the moment, “you shall not connect the recollection of my name with so churlish a particle. I must soon think of leaving Fairport, I am afraid--and I will, since you are good enough to wish it, take this opportunity of spending another day here.” “And you shall be rewarded, my boy. First, you shall see John o’ the Girnel’s grave, and then we’ll walk gently along the sands, the state of the tide being first ascertained (for we will have no more Peter Wilkins’ adventures, no more Glum and Gawrie work), as far as Knockwinnock Castle, and inquire after the old knight and my fair foe--which will but be barely civil, and then”-- “I beg pardon, my dear sir; but, perhaps, you had better adjourn your visit till to-morrow--I am a stranger, you know.” “And are, therefore, the more bound to show civility, I should suppose. But I beg your pardon for mentioning a word that perhaps belongs only to a collector of antiquities--I am one of the old school, When courtiers galloped o’er four counties The ball’s fair partner to behold, And humbly hope she caught no cold.” “Why, if--if--if you thought it would be expected--but I believe I had better stay.” “Nay, nay, my good friend, I am not so old-fashioned as to press you to what is disagreeable, neither--it is sufficient that I see there is some remora, some cause of delay, some mid impediment, which I have no title to inquire into. Or you are still somewhat tired, perhaps;--I warrant I find means to entertain your intellects without fatiguing your limbs--I am no friend to violent exertion myself--a walk in the garden once a-day is exercise, enough for any thinking being--none but a fool or a fox-hunter would require more. Well, what shall we set about?--my Essay on Castrametation--but I have that in petto for our afternoon cordial;--or I will show you the controversy upon Ossian’s Poems between Mac-Cribb and me. I hold with the acute Orcadian--he with the defenders of the authenticity;--the controversy began in smooth, oily, lady-like terms, but is now waxing more sour and eager as we get on--it already partakes somewhat of old Scaliger’s style. I fear the rogue will get some scent of that story of Ochiltree’s--but at worst, I have a hard repartee for him on the affair of the abstracted Antigonus--I will show you his last epistle and the scroll of my answer--egad, it is a trimmer!”