'
As he looked at Martin, and nobody else was by, Martin inclined his
head, and said:
'You allude to--?'
'To the Palladium of rational Liberty at home, sir, and the dread of
Foreign oppression abroad,' returned the gentleman, as he pointed with
his cane to an uncommonly dirty newsboy with one eye. 'To the Envy of
the world, sir, and the leaders of Human Civilization. Let me ask you
sir,' he added, bringing the ferule of his stick heavily upon the deck
with the air of a man who must not be equivocated with, 'how do you like
my Country?'
'I am hardly prepared to answer that question yet,' said Martin 'seeing
that I have not been ashore.'
'Well, I should expect you were not prepared, sir,' said the gentleman,
'to behold such signs of National Prosperity as those?'
He pointed to the vessels lying at the wharves; and then gave a vague
flourish with his stick, as if he would include the air and water,
generally, in this remark.
'Really,' said Martin, 'I don't know. Yes. I think I was.'
The gentleman glanced at him with a knowing look, and said he liked his
policy. It was natural, he said, and it pleased him as a philosopher to
observe the prejudices of human nature.
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