’Iamnotofyourcountry，sir；butIhaveaninfinitevenerationforyourcountry，asStrapsaidtotheFrenchsoldier。Willyoutakeaglassofwine？’
’Ah，detoutmoncoeur，astheparasitesaidtoGilBlas，’criedtheyoungman，laughing。’Here’stoourbetteracquaintance!’
Andbetteracquaintedwesoonbecame；andIfoundthat，inmakingtheacquaintanceoftheyoungman，Ihadindeedmadeavaluableacquisition；hewasaccomplished，highlyconnected，andborethenameofFrancisArdry。Frankandardenthewas，andinaverylittletimehadtoldmemuchthatrelatedtohimself，andinreturnIcommunicatedageneraloutlineofmyownhistory；helistenedwithprofoundattention，butlaughedheartilywhenItoldhimsomeparticularsofmyvisitinthemorningtothepublisher，whomhehadfrequentlyheardof。
Weleftthehousetogether。
’Weshallsoonseeeachotheragain，’saidhe，asweseparatedatthedoorofmylodging。
CHAPTERXXXIII
Dinewiththepublisher-Religions-Noanimalfood-Unprofitablediscussions-Principlesofcriticism-Thebookmarket-Newgatelives-Goetheadrug-Germanacquirements-Moraldignity。
ONtheSundayIwaspunctualtomyappointmenttodinewiththepublisher。AsIhurriedalongthesquareinwhichhishousestood，mythoughtswerefixedsointentlyonthegreatman，thatIpassedbyhimwithoutseeinghim。Hehadobservedme，however，andjoinedmejustasIwasabouttoknockatthedoor。’Letustakeaturninthesquare，’saidhe，’weshallnotdineforhalfanhour。’
’Well，’saidhe，aswewerewalkinginthesquare，’whathaveyoubeendoingsinceIlastsawyou？’
’IhavebeenlookingaboutLondon，’saidI，’andIhaveboughttheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER；hereitis。’
’Prayputitup，’saidthepublisher；’Idon’twanttolookatsuchtrash。Well，doyouthinkyoucouldwriteanythinglikeit？’
’Idonot，’saidI。
’Howisthat？’saidthepublisher，lookingatme。
’Because，’saidI，’themanwhowroteitseemstobeperfectlywellacquaintedwithhissubject；and，moreover，towritefromtheheart。’
’Bythesubjectyoumean-’
’Religion。’
’Andain’tyouacquaintedwithreligion？’
’Verylittle。’
’Iamsorryforthat，’saidthepublisherseriously，’forhewhosetsupforanauthoroughttobeacquaintednotonlywithreligion，butreligions，andindeedwithallsubjects，likemygoodfriendinthecountry。ItiswellthatIhavechangedmymindabouttheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER，orIreallydon’tknowwhomIcouldapplytoonthesubjectatthepresentmoment，unlesstohimself；
andafterallIquestionwhetherhisstyleisexactlysuitedforanevangelicalnovel。’
’ThenyoudonotwishforanimitationoftheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER？’
’Idonot，sir；Ihavechangedmymind，asItoldyoubefore；I
wishtoemployyouinanotherline，butwillcommunicatetoyoumyintentionsafterdinner。’
Atdinner，besidethepublisherandmyself，werepresenthiswifeandsonwithhisnewly-marriedbride；thewifeappearedaquietrespectablewoman，andtheyoungpeoplelookedveryhappyandgood-
natured；notsothepublisher，whooccasionallyeyedbothwithcontemptanddislike。Connectedwiththisdinnertherewasonethingremarkable；thepublishertooknoanimalfood，butcontentedhimselfwithfeedingvoraciouslyonriceandvegetablespreparedinvariousways。
’Youeatnoanimalfood，sir？’saidI。
’Idonot，sir，’saidhe；’Ihaveforswornitupwardsoftwentyyears。Inonerespect，sir，IamaBrahmin。Iabhortakingawaylife-thebruteshaveasmuchrighttoliveasourselves。’
’But，’saidI，’ifthebruteswerenotkilled，therewouldbesuchasuperabundanceofthem，thatthelandwouldbeoverrunwiththem。’
’Idonotthinkso，sir；fewarekilledinIndia，andyetthereisplentyofroom。’
’But，’saidI，’Natureintendedthattheyshouldbedestroyed，andthebrutesthemselvespreyupononeanother，anditiswellforthemselvesandtheworldthattheydoso。Whatwouldbethestateofthingsifeveryinsect，bird，andwormwerelefttoperishofoldage？’
’Wewillchangethesubject，’saidthepublisher；’Ihaveneverbeenafriendofunprofitablediscussions。’
Ilookedatthepublisherwithsomesurprise，Ihadnotbeenaccustomedtobespokentosomagisterially；hiscountenancewasdressedinaportentousfrown，andhiseyelookedmoresinisterthanever；atthatmomentheputmeinmindofsomeofthosedespotsofwhomIhadreadinthehistoryofMorocco，whosewordwaslaw。Hemerelywantspower，thoughtItomyself，tobearegularMuleyMehemet；andthenIsighed，forIrememberedhowverymuchIwasinthepowerofthatman。
Thedinnerover，thepublishernoddedtohiswife，whodeparted，followedbyherdaughter-in-law。Thesonlookedasifhewouldwillinglyhaveattendedthem；he，however，remainedseated；and，asmalldecanterofwinebeingplacedonthetable，thepublisherfilledtwoglasses，oneofwhichhehandedtomyself，andtheothertohisson；saying，’SupposeyoutwodrinktothesuccessoftheReview。Iwouldjoinyou，’saidhe，addressinghimselftome，’butIdrinknowine；ifIamaBrahminwithrespecttomeat，IamaMahometanwithrespecttowine。’
SothesonandIdranksuccesstotheReview，andthentheyoungmanaskedmevariousquestions；forexample-HowIlikedLondon？-
WhetherIdidnotthinkitaveryfineplace？-WhetherIwasattheplaythenightbefore？-andwhetherIwasintheparkthatafternoon？Heseemedpreparingtoaskmesomemorequestions；but，receivingafuriouslookfromhisfather，hebecamesilent，filledhimselfaglassofwine，drankitoff，lookedatthetableforaboutaminute，thengotup，pushedbackhischair，mademeabow，andlefttheroom。
’Isthatyounggentleman，sir，’saidI，’wellversedintheprinciplesofcriticism？’
’Heisnot，sir，’saidthepublisher；’and，ifIplacehimattheheadoftheReviewostensibly，Idoitmerelyinthehopeofprocuringhimamaintenance；oftheprincipleofathingheknowsnothing，exceptthattheprincipleofbreadiswheat，andthattheprincipleofthatwineisgrape。Willyoutakeanotherglass？’
Ilookedatthedecanter；but，notfeelingaltogethersosureasthepublisher’ssonwithrespecttotheprincipleofwhatitcontained，Ideclinedtakinganymore。
’No，sir，’saidthepublisher，adjustinghimselfinhischair，’heknowsnothingaboutcriticism，andwillhavenothingmoretodowiththereviewalsthancarryingaboutthebookstothosewhohavetoreviewthem；therealconductoroftheReviewwillbeawidelydifferentperson，towhomIwill，whenconvenient，introduceyou。
Andnowwewilltalkofthematterwhichwetoucheduponbeforedinner：ItoldyouthenthatIhadchangedmymindwithrespecttoyou；Ihavebeenconsideringthestateofthemarket，sir，thebookmarket，andIhavecometotheconclusionthat，thoughyoumightbeprofitablyemployeduponevangelicalnovels，youcouldearnmoremoneyforme，sir，andconsequentlyforyourself，byacompilationofNewgatelivesandtrials。’
’Newgatelivesandtrials!’
’Yes，sir，’saidthepublisher，’Newgatelivesandtrials；andnow，sir，IwillbrieflystatetoyoutheserviceswhichIexpectyoutoperform，andthetermswhichIamwillingtogrant。Iexpectyou，sir，tocompilesixvolumesofNewgatelivesandtrials，eachvolumetocontainbynomannerofmeanslessthanonethousandpages；theremunerationwhichyouwillreceivewhentheworkiscompletedwillbefiftypounds，whichislikewiseintendedtocoveranyexpensesyoumayincurinprocuringbooks，papers，andmanuscriptsnecessaryforthecompilation。Suchwillbeoneofyouremployments，sir，-suchtheterms。Inthesecondplace，youwillbeexpectedtomakeyourselfusefulintheReview-generallyuseful，sir-doingwhateverisrequiredofyou；foritisnotcustomary，atleastwithme，topermitwriters，especiallyyoungwriters，tochoosetheirsubjects。Inthesetwodepartments，sir，namelycompilationandreviewing，Ihadyesterday，afterdueconsideration，determineduponemployingyou。Ihadintendedtoemployyounofarther，sir-atleastforthepresent；but，sir，thismorningIreceivedaletterfrommyvaluedfriendinthecountry，inwhichhespeaksintermsofstrongadmirationIdon’toverstateofyourGermanacquirements。Sir，hesaysthatitwouldbeathousandpitiesifyourknowledgeoftheGermanlanguageshouldbelosttotheworld，orevenpermittedtosleep，andheentreatsmetothinkofsomeplanbywhichitmaybeturnedtoaccount。Sir，Iamatalltimeswilling，ifpossible，toobligemyworthyfriend，andlikewisetoencouragemeritandtalent；Ihave，therefore，determinedtoemployyouinGerman。’
’Sir，’saidI，rubbingmyhands，’youareverykind，andsoisourmutualfriend；IshallbehappytomakemyselfusefulinGerman；
andifyouthinkagoodtranslationfromGoethe-hisSORROWSforexample，ormoreparticularlyhisFAUST-’
’Sir，’saidthepublisher，’Goetheisadrug；hisSORROWSareadrug，soishisFAUSTUS，moreespeciallythelast，sincethatfool-renderedhimintoEnglish。No，sir，IdonotwantyoutotranslateGoetheoranythingbelongingtohim；nordoIwantyoutotranslateanythingfromtheGerman；whatIwantyoutodo，istotranslateintoGerman。Iamwillingtoencouragemerit，sir；and，asmygoodfriendinhislastletterhasspokenveryhighlyofyourGermanacquirements，IhavedeterminedthatyoushalltranslatemybookofphilosophyintoGerman。’