A shade of dissatisfaction came over the countenance of my host.  ’What does the silly pestilent fellow mean by coming here?’ said he, half to himself; ‘let him come in,’ said he to the servant.

The servant went out, and in a moment reappeared, introducing the Reverend Mr. Platitude.  The Reverend Mr. Platitude, having what is vulgarly called a game leg, came shambling into the room; he was about thirty years of age, and about five feet three inches high; his face was of the colour of pepper, and nearly as rugged as a nutmeg-grater; his hair was black; with his eyes he squinted, and grinned with his lips, which were very much apart, disclosing two very irregular rows of teeth; he was dressed in the true Levitical fashion, in a suit of spotless black, and a neckerchief of spotless white.

The Reverend Mr. Platitude advanced winking and grinning to my entertainer, who received him politely but with evident coldness; nothing daunted, however, the Reverend Mr. Platitude took a seat by the table, and, being asked to take a cup of coffee, winked, grinned, and consented.

In company I am occasionally subject to fits of what is generally called absence; my mind takes flight and returns to former scenes, or presses forward into the future.  One of these fits of absence came over me at this time—­I looked at the Reverend Mr. Platitude for a moment, heard a word or two that proceeded from his mouth, and saying to myself, ’You are no man for me,’ fell into a fit of musing—­into the same train of thought as in the morning, no very pleasant one—­I was thinking of the future.

I continued in my reverie for some time, and probably should have continued longer, had I not been suddenly aroused by the voice of Mr. Platitude raised to a very high key.  ‘Yes, my dear sir,’ said he, ’it is but too true; I have it on good authority—­a gone church—­a lost church—­a ruined church—­a demolished church is the Church of England.  Toleration to Dissenters!—­oh, monstrous!’

‘I suppose,’ said my host, ’that the repeal of the Test Acts will be merely a precursor of the emancipation of the Papists?’

‘Of the Catholics,’ said the Reverend Mr. Platitude.  ’Ahem.  There was a time, as I believe you are aware, my dear sir, when I was as much opposed to the emancipation of the Catholics as it was possible for any one to be; but I was prejudiced, my dear sir, labouring under a cloud of most unfortunate prejudice; but I thank my Maker I am so no longer.  I have travelled, as you are aware.  It is only by travelling that one can rub off prejudices; I think you will agree with me there.  I am speaking to a traveller.  I left behind all my prejudices in Italy.  The Catholics are at least our fellow-Christians.  I thank Heaven that I am no longer an enemy to Catholic emancipation.’

‘And yet you would not tolerate Dissenters?’

’Dissenters, my dear sir; I hope you would not class such a set as the Dissenters with Catholics?’