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Payne, Dutton

"Mistress Penwick"

"
"Indeed, Julian, thou dost speak lightly of such gigantic genius;
beside, 'twould not be fair to compare sun and moon; and how could we
do without either the one or the other?"
"To which dost thou comparison his Grace?"
"The moon, of course!" said the Duchess.
"And to what planet is my lord a satellite?"
"Nay, I know not; thou dost question of one who knows little of
astronomy; but I think perhaps Mars, as the planet doth resemble earth
more closely than any other."
"Bravo, 'tis a rare simile; and I take it thou didst speak in
derogation;--no matter how true the _inuendo_, it is ever the material
we most appreciate and enjoy, and the sun being nearly ninety-three
million miles from the earth, 'tis too remote to be interesting."
"Indeed, Julian, Dryden in five minutes' converse will stir one to
seriousness by his fancy, to tears by his pathos, and to thoughts of
deity by his sublimity."
"'Tis only a great, good, noble nature like thine that could be so
stirred; believe me, your Grace, thou didst dissemble these emotions
from pure charity.


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