Mr. Midshipman Easy

essay of his father'

ery near to t

wisdom enough to say the whole alphabet, for which he received a great deal of praise, the which, if he did not duly appreciate, he at all events infinitely preferred to beating. Mr Bonnycastle perceived that he had conqu

d after Johnny's departure Mrs Easy found a quiet and repose much more suited to her disposition. Gradually she weaned herself from him, and, satisfied with seeing him occasionally, and hearing the reports of Dr Middleton, she, at last, was quite reconciled to his being at school, and not coming back except during the holidays. John Easy made great progress; he had good natural abilities, and Mr Easy rubbed his hands when he saw the Doctor, saying, "Yes, let them have him for a year or two longer, and then I'll

; and at last Jack thought it a very clever thing to argue. He never would attempt to argue with Mr Bonnycastle, because he was aware that Mr Bonnycastle's arguments were too strong for him, but he argued with all the boys until it ended in a fight, which decided the point; and he sometimes argued with the ushers. In short, at the time we now speak of, wh

which had the appearance of being well stocked-he cleared the park palings, and threw in his line. He ha

f your name, young gentleman?

always urba

name is Easy, very m

replied the gentleman. "Pray, sir, may I enquire

g without permission upon the land or property of another. Now, sir, the question may all be resolved in the following. Was not the world made for all? and has any one, or a

orist, and more inclined to laugh than to be angry; at the same time that he conside

hat you are justified in taking my fish; I bought the fish, and stocked the pond, and have fed the

h ratiocination. All the creatures of the earth were given to man for his use-man means mankind-they were never intended to be made a monopoly of; water is also the gift of heaven, and meant for the use of all. We now come to the question how far the fish are your property. If the fish only bred on purpose to please you, and make you a present of their stock, it might then require a different line of argument; but as in breed

say that the world and its

father's opinion, who is

unt for some possessing propert

he strongest have depriv

itance which you have supposed? For instance, allowing two men to chase the same anim

nt tha

where is yo

are not so. Neither does it disprove that everything was not made for the benefit of al

l observe that I and my keepers being three, we are the strong party in this instance, and admitting your argument, that the fish are as much

errupted Jack, "we w

ean to have more-that fishing-rod is as much mine as yours, and being the stronger p

nion that the earth and the animals on it were made for us all, that I never yet have asserted, that

n that they were my own. Everything being common, and it being but natural that the strong should take advantage of the weak, I must take that rod as my property, until I am dispossessed by one more powerful. Moreover, being the stronger party

heard all my arguments," replied Jack, who

you a good morning." And the proprietor depa

d William. James was very busy stringing the

"I have arguments-" "I never heard no good argume

"It is by paying such vagabonds as you that

ere be some excuse for a poor devil who is out of work,

s we be all equal, he be no

as you: if I did, I could prove that you are a set of base slaves, w

e, I dare s

my property, and so are the fish in it, as the

the young gentleman in possession of his pr

rsion, and floundered on shore blowing and spluttering. But in the meantime the keepers had walked away, carrying with

ake in my father's philosophy, or else this is a very

has become right-but the time will come when these truths will be admitted, and your father's name will be more celebrated than that of any philosopher of ancient days. Recollect, Jack, that although in preaching

time I argue it shall be, if possible, with power on m

had better fish in the river, and then, if he catches no fish, at a

sy was no

summer apple-tree bearing tempting fruit, and he immediately broke through the hedge, an

are you doing there?

t, thickset personage in grey coat and

replied Jack, "I'm eating appl

ps, as you are so free to give them to others as well as to h

roperty than they ar

e mine, and I'll trouble you to come down as fast as you please; when you're down we can then settle our a

h like the appea

imagine that apples were not given, as well as all other fruit,

nion, my lad, and I may

it in the Bib

read it through and through

me and fetch the Bible, a

anted to find the robbers out; now I've caught one I'll take care that he don't 'scape without apple sau

ery well here. I will, if you pleas

'll let you off. If you don't choose to come down, why then you may stay there,

ot listen to argument? What a world is this!-however, he

two a large bull-dog was seen bounding along the orchard to his master. "Mark him, Caesar," said the farmer to the dog, "mark him." The dog cro

a limb of you together,-when work's done I'll come back"; so saying, the farmer walked off, leaving Jack and the do

east movement on his part one eye was seen partially to unclose; so Jack, like a prudent man, resolved to r

master had our hero. Caesar started on his legs and faced the bull, who advanced pawing, with his tail up in the air. When within a few yards the bull made a rush at the dog, who evaded him and attacked him in return, and thus did the warfare continue until the opponents were already at some distance from the apple-tree. Jack pre

ry with a flourish of trumpets. Upon which Jack, perceiving that he was relieved from his sentry, slipped down the rest of the tree and took to his heels. Unfortunately for Jack, the bull saw him, and, flushed with victory, he immediat

uld run, and Jack was mad with pain, when he stumbled, half-blinded, over the brickwork of a well. Jack could not stop his pitching into the well, but he seized the iron chain as it struck him across the face. Down went Jack, and round went the windlass, and after a rapid descent of forty feet our hero found himself under water, and no longer troubled with the bees, who, whether they had lost scent of their prey from his rapid descent, or being notoriously clever insects, acknowledged the truth of the adage, "leave well alone," had certainly left

ain, if it had not been for the bull, I should not have tumbled among the bees; and if it had not been for the bees, I should not have tumbled into

well; but how the devil am I to get out of the well?-all creation appears to have conspired against

se and effect, at the bottom of a well, up to his neck in water, showed a good deal of presence of mind. But if Jack's mind had been a little twisted by his father's ph