90 Sandford and Merton.

true that it could not err, still they have no sense of right
and wrong, as man has. Man has the right to fight for,
and the wrong to fight off; and but for this choice, no
man could be good or bad.”

Tom.— Mr. Barlow told me that this sense in brutes
serves to teach them to know their foes, to bring up their
young, and to get food; but what we call mind and soul
(which takes the place of it in man) has far more height.”

Maude. —‘ Just so; and more than this, brutes are shut
out from the world to come.”

Tom put down the book, and said, “‘Do what you
ought, come what may,’ shall be round my coat of arms
when I am a man.” 7

Maude—“ And you shall have it on a ring till then,
which I hope you will wear for my sake.”

Maude then went out for a walk, but took with her a
choice ring, to have the words cut on it, and when she
came back, she found Tom with Mr. and Mrs. Merton, and
Mr. Barlow; but there was such a change in Tom’s dress,
and in his hair, that few would know him. He had cut off
his curls; stript from his dress all that was fine, and his
clothes were as plain as could be.

“What in the world has the boy done?” said Mrs. Mer-
ton; “why, my dear, you look quite a fright! You have
the air of a boy at the plough, more than a son of ours!”

Tom drew up, and said, “I am now what I ought at all
times to have been; and I mean from this day to bid good
bye to all that is proud and fine.”

Tom said this in so firm and grave a tone, that no one
could smile at it.