I am sure by the look in her eyes that she knows it by heart." "We all do," said John Mortimer's eldest daughter.
"Ah! it's a fine thing to be a public character," observed her father; "but even I aspire to some notice from the _True Blue_ next week in consequence of having old Nicholas for my gardener." "I am very fond of poetry," said Laura simpering.

"I should like to hear the poem you spoke of." Thereupon the little girl immediately repeated the following verses:-- "If, dear friends, you've got a penny (If you haven't steal one straight), Go and buy the best of any Penn'orth that you've bought of late.
"At the schoolroom as before (Up May Lane), or else next door (As last Monday) at the Boar, Hear the Wigfield lion roar.
"What a treat it was, good lack! Though my bench had ne'er a back, With a mild respectful glee There to hear, and that to see.
"Sweetly slept the men and boys, And the girls, they sighed meanwhile 'O my goodness, what a voice! O my gracious, what a smile!'" The man with no ear for music feels his sense of justice outraged when people shudder while his daughter sings.

Why won't they listen to her songs as to one another's?
There is no difference.
With a like feeling those who have hardly any sense of humour are half-offended when others laugh, while they seem to be shut out for not perceiving any cause.

Occasionally knowing themselves to be sensible people, they think it evident that their not seeing the joke must be because it is against them.
Laura and Mrs.Melcombe experienced a certain discomfort here.

Neither would have been so rude as to laugh; in fact, what was there to laugh at?
They were shut out not only from the laugh, but from that state of feeling which made these cousins, including the victim, enjoy it, against one of themselves.
As for Mrs.Henfrey, who also was without any perception of the humorous side of things, she looked on with a beaming countenance; pleased with them all for being in such good spirits, whatever might be the reason, for, as she always expressed it, she did so love to see young people happy.
"It's capital," said John, but not so good as the prose reviewing they give you; and all this most excellent fun we should lose, you know, Giles, if you might have your way, and all sorts of criticism and reviewing had to be signed with the writer's name." "But it would make the thing much more fair and moderate," said Brandon "(not that I intended to include such little squibs as this); besides, it would secure a man against being reviewed by his own rivals--or his enemies." "Yes," said Valentine; "but that sort of thing would tell both ways." As he spoke with great gravity Mrs.Melcombe, mainly in the kind hope of helping dear Laura's mistake into the background, asked with an air of interest what he meant.
"Well," said Valentine, with calm audacity, "to give an example.