And now every
person in the parish of high culture--which seems to be akin to the
Latin for a knife, though a fork expels nature more forcibly--as well
as many others of locality less favoured, joined in this muster of good
people and good things. At the outset, the Admiral had intended nothing
more than a quiet recognition of the goodness of the Lord in bringing
home a husband for the daughter of the house; but what Englishman can
forbear the pleasure of killing two birds with one stone?
It was Stubbard who first suggested this, and Sir Charles at once
saw the force of it, especially with the Marquis of Southdown coming.
Captain Stubbard had never admired anybody, not even himself--without
which there is no happiness--much less Mr. Pitt, or Lord Nelson, or the
King, until justice was done to the race of Stubbard, and their hands
were plunged into the Revenue. But now, ever since the return of the war
to its proper home in England, this Captain had been paid well for doing
the very best thing that a man can do, i. e., nothing. He could not help
desiring to celebrate this, and as soon as he received his invitation,
he went to the host and put it clearly. The Admiral soon entered into
his views, and as guests were not farmed by the head as yet at tables
entertaining self-respect, he perceived the advantage of a good dinner
scored to his credit with forty at the cost of twenty; and Stubbard's
proposal seemed thoroughly well timed, so long was it now since the
leaders of Defence had celebrated their own vigilance.
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