They united only in the objects of their jests, and foremost of those objects (wisdom is ever the but of the frivolous!) was the great Peter MacGrawler.
The graceless dogs were especially merry upon the subject of the sage's former occupation.
"Come, Mac, you carve this ham," said Ned; "you have had practice in cutting up." The learned man whose name was thus disrespectfully abbreviated proceeded to perform what he was bid.

He was about to sit down for that purpose, when Tomlinson slyly subtracted his chair,--the sage fell.
"No jests at MacGrawler," said the malicious Augustus; "whatever be his faults as a critic, you see that he is well grounded, and he gets at once to the bottom of a subject.

Mac, suppose your next work be entitled a Tail of Woe!" Men who have great minds are rarely flexible,--they do not take a jest readily; so it was with MacGrawler.

He rose in a violent rage; and had the robbers been more penetrating than they condescended to be, they might have noticed something dangerous in his eye.

As it was, Clifford, who had often before been the protector of his tutor, interposed in his behalf, drew the sage a seat near to himself, and filled his plate for him.