employed　and　the　very　modulation　of　my　voice　were　not　my　own？　　Take
  lessons；　indeed！　why；　the　fellow　who　taught　me；　the　professor；
  might　be　standing　in　the　gallery　whilst　I　spoke；　and；　at　the　best
  parts　of　my　speech；　might　say　to　himself；　〃That　gesture　is　mine　…
  that　modulation　is　mine。〃　　I　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　such　a
  thing。'
  'Farewell；'　said　I；　'and　may　you　prosper。　　I　have　nothing　more　to
  say。'
  I　departed。　　At　the　distance　of　twenty　yards　I　turned　round
  suddenly；　my　friend　was　just　withdrawing　his　finger　from　the　bar　of
  the　gate。
  'He　has　been　touching；'　said　I；　as　I　proceeded　on　my　way；　'I　wonder
  what　was　the　evil　chance　he　wished　to　baffle。'
  CHAPTER　LXVIII
  Elastic　step　…　Disconsolate　party　…　Not　the　season　…　Mend　your
  draught　…　Good　ale　…　Crotchet　…　Hammer　and　tongs　…　Schoolmaster　…
  True　Eden　life　…　Flaming　Tinman　…　Twice　my　size　…　Hard　at　work　…　My
  poor　wife　…　Grey　Moll　…　A　Bible　…　Half…and…half　…　What　to　do　…　Half
  inclined　…　In　no　time　…　On　one　condition　…　Don't　stare　…　Like　the
  wind。
  AFTER　walking　some　time；　I　found　myself　on　the　great　road；　at　the
  same　spot　where　I　had　turned　aside　the　day　before　with　my　new…made
  acquaintance；　in　the　direction　of　his　house。　　I　now　continued　my
  journey　as　before；　towards　the　north。　　The　weather；　though
  beautiful；　was　much　cooler　than　it　had　been　for　some　time　past；　I
  walked　at　a　great　rate；　with　a　springing　and　elastic　step。　　In
  about　two　hours　I　came　to　where　a　kind　of　cottage　stood　a　little
  way　back　from　the　road；　with　a　huge　oak　before　it；　under　the　shade
  of　which　stood　a　little　pony　and　a　cart；　which　seemed　to　contain
  various　articles。　　I　was　going　past　…　when　I　saw　scrawled　over　the
  door　of　the　cottage；　'Good　beer　sold　here'；　upon　which；　feeling
  myself　all　of　a　sudden　very　thirsty；　I　determined　to　go　in　and
  taste　the　beverage。
  I　entered　a　well…sanded　kitchen；　and　seated　myself　on　a　bench；　on
  one　side　of　a　long　white　table；　the　other　side；　which　was　nearest
  to　the　wall；　was　occupied　by　a　party；　or　rather　family；　consisting
  of　a　grimy…looking　man；　somewhat　under　the　middle　size；　dressed　in
  faded　velveteens；　and　wearing　a　leather　apron　…　a　rather　pretty…
  looking　woman；　but　sun…burnt；　and　meanly　dressed；　and　two　ragged
  children；　a　boy　and　girl；　about　four　or　five　years　old。　　The　man
  sat　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　table；　supporting　his　chin　with
  both　his　hands；　the　woman；　who　was　next　him；　sat　quite　still；　save
  that　occasionally　she　turned　a　glance　upon　her　husband　with　eyes
  that　appeared　to　have　been　lately　crying。　　The　children　had　none　of
  the　vivacity　so　general　at　their　age。　　A　more　disconsolate　family　I
  had　never　seen；　a　mug；　which；　when　filled；　might　contain　half　a
  pint；　stood　empty　before　them；　a　very　disconsolate　party　indeed。
  'House！'　said　I；　'House！'　and　then；　as　nobody　appeared；　I　cried
  again　as　loud　as　I　could；　'House！　do　you　hear　me；　House！'
  'What's　your　pleasure；　young　man？'　said　an　elderly　woman；　who　now
  made　her　appearance　from　a　side　apartment。
  'To　taste　your　ale；'　said　I。
  'How　much？'　said　the　woman；　stretching　out　her　hand　towards　the
  empty　mug　upon　the　table。
  'The　largest　measure…full　in　your　house；'　said　I；　putting　back　her
  hand　gently。　　'This　is　not　the　season　for　half…pint　mugs。'
  'As　you　will；　young　man；'　said　the　landlady；　and　presently　brought
  in　an　earthen　pitcher　which　might　contain　about　three　pints；　and
  which　foamed　and　frothed　withal。
  'Will　this　pay　for　it？'　said　I；　putting　down　sixpence。
  'I　have　to　return　you　a　penny；'　said　the　landlady；　putting　her　hand
  into　her　pocket。
  'I　want　no　change；'　said　I；　flourishing　my　hand　with　an　air。
  'As　you　please；　young　gentleman；'　said　the　landlady；　and　then；
  making　a　kind　of　curtsey；　she　again　retired　to　the　side　apartment。
  'Here　is　your　health；　sir；'　said　I　to　the　grimy…looking　man；　as　I
  raised　the　pitcher　to　my　lips。
  The　tinker；　for　such　I　supposed　him　to　be；　without　altering　his
  posture；　raised　his　eyes；　looked　at　me　for　a　moment；　gave　a　slight
  nod；　and　then　once　more　fixed　his　eyes　upon　the　table。　　I　took　a
  draught　of　the　ale；　which　I　found　excellent；　'Won't　you　drink？'
  said　I；　holding　the　pitcher　to　the　tinker。
  The　man　again　lifted　up　his　eyes；　looked　at　me；　and　then　at　the
  pitcher；　and　then　at　me　again。　　I　thought　at　one　time　that　he　was
  about　to　shake　his　head　in　sign　of　refusal；　but　no；　he　looked　once
  more　at　the　pitcher；　and　the　temptation　was　too　strong。　　Slowly
  removing　his　head　from　his　arms；　he　took　the　pitcher；　sighed；
  nodded；　and　drank　a　tolerable　quantity；　and　then　set　the　pitcher
  down　before　me　upon　the　table。
  'You　had　better　mend　your　draught；'　said　I　to　the　tinker；　'it　is　a
  sad　heart　that　never　rejoices。'
  'That's　true；'　said　the　tinker；　and　again　raising　the　pitcher　to
  his　lips；　he　mended　his　draught　as　I　had　bidden　him；　drinking　a
  larger　quantity　than　before。
  'Pass　it　to　your　wife；'　said　I。
  The　poor　woman　took　the　pitcher　from　the　man's　hand；　before；
  however；　raising　it　to　her　lips；　she　looked　at　the　children。　　True
  mother's　heart；　thought　I　to　myself；　and　taking　the　half…pint　mug；
  I　made　her　fill　it；　and　then　held　it　to　the　children；　causing　each
  to　take　a　draught。　　The　woman　wiped　her　eyes　with　the　corner　of　her
  gown；　before　she　raised　the　pitcher　and　drank　to　my　health。
  In　about　five　minutes　none　of　the　family　looked　half　so
  disconsolate　as　before；　and　the　tinker　and　I　were　in　deep
  discourse。
  Oh；　genial　and　gladdening　is　the　power　of　good　ale；　the　true　and
  proper　drink　of　Englishmen。　　He　is　not　deserving　of　the　name　of
  Englishman　who　speaketh　against　ale；　that　is　good　ale；　like　that
  which　has　just　made　merry　the　hearts　of　this　poor　family；　and　yet
  there　are　beings；　calling　themselves　Englishmen；　who　say　that　it　is
  a　sin　to　drink　a　cup　of　ale；　and　who；　on　coming　to　this　passage
  will　be　tempted　to　fling　down　the　book　and　exclaim；　'The　man　is
  evidently　a　bad　man；　for　behold；　by　his　own　confession；　he　is　not
  only　fond　of　ale　himself；　but　is　in　the　habit　of　tempting　other
  people　with　it。'　　Alas！　alas！　what　a　number　of　silly　individuals
  there　are　in　this　world；　I　wonder　what　they　would　have　had　me　do　in
  this　instance　…　given　the　afflicted　family　a　cup　of　cold　water？　go
  to！　　They　could　have　found　water　in　the　road；　for　there　was　a
  pellucid　spring　only　a　few　yards　distant　from　the　house；　as　they
  were　well　aware　…　but　they　wanted　not　water；　what　should　I　have
  given　them？　meat　and　bread？　go　to！　　They　were　not　hungry；　there　was
  stifled　sobbing　in　their　bosoms；　and　the　first　mouthful　of　strong
  meat　would　have　choked　them。　　What　should　I　have　given　them？
  Money！　what　right　had　I　to　insult　them　by　offering　them　money？
  Advice！　words；　words；　words；　friends；　there　is　a　time　for
  everything；　there　is　a　time　for　a　cup　of　cold　water；　there　is　a
  time　for　strong　meat　and　bread；　there　is　a　time　for　advice；　and
  there　is　a　time　for　ale；　and　I　have　generally　found　that　the　time
  for　advice　is　after　a　cup　of　ale。　　I　do　not　say　many　cups；　the
  tongue　then　speaketh　more　smoothly；　and　the　ear　listeneth　more
  benignantly；　but　why　do　I　attempt　to　reason　with　you？　do　I　not　know
  you　for　conceited　creatures；　with　one　idea　…　and　that　a　foolish
  one；　…　a　crotchet；　for　the　sake　of　which　ye　would　sacrifice
  anything；　religion　if　required　…　country？　　There；　fling　down　my
  book；　I　do　not　wish　ye　to　walk　any　farther　in　my　company；　unless
  you　cast　your　nonsense　away；　which　ye　will　never　do；　for　it　is　the
  breath　of　your　nostrils；　fling　down　my　book；　it　was　not　written　to
  support　a　crotchet；　for　know　one　thing；　my　good　people；　I　have
  invariably　been　an　enemy　to　humbug。
  'Well；'　said　the　tinker；　after　we　had　discoursed　some　time；　'little
  thought；　when　I　first　saw　you；　that　you　were　of　my　own　trade。'
  MYSELF。　　Nor　am　I；　at　least　not　exactly。　　There　is　not　much
  difference；　'tis　true；　between　a　tinker　and　a　smith。
  TINKER。　　You　are　a　whitesmith　then？
  MYSELF。　　Not　I；　I'd　scorn　to　be　anything　so　mean；　no；　friend；
  black's　the　colour；　I　am　a　brother　of　the　horse…shoe。　　Success　to
  the　hammer　and　tongs。
  TINKER。　　Well；　I　shouldn't　have　thought　you　had　been　a　blacksmith
  by　your　hands。
  MYSELF。　　I　have　seen　them；　however；　as　black　as　yours。　　The　truth
  is；　I　have　not　worked　for　many　a　day。
  TINKER。　　Where　did　you　serve　first？
  MYSELF。　　In　Ireland。
  TINKER。　That's　a　good　way　off；　isn't　it？
  MYSELF。　　Not　very　far；　over　those　mountains　to　the　left；　and　the
  run　of　salt　water　that　lies　behind　them；　there's　Ireland。
  TINKER。　　It's　a　fine　thing　to　be　a　scholar。
  MYSELF。　　Not　half　so　fine　as　to　be　a　tinker。
  TINKER。　　How　you　talk！
  MYSELF。　　Nothing　but　the　truth；　what　can　be　better　than　to　be　one's
  own　master？　　Now　a　tinker　is　his　own　master；　a　scholar　is　not。　　Let