"Your lordship do not understand them subjects," Mr. Swipes, the head

gardener, was in the habit of replying; "and small blame to you, in my

opinion, after so many years upon the briny wave. Ah! they can't grow

them things there."

"Swipes, that is true, but to my mind not at all a satisfactory reason

for growing them here, just in front of the house and the windows. I

don't mind a few in the kitchen-garden, but you know as well as I do,

Swipes, that they can have no proper business here."

"I did hear tell down to the Club, last night," Mr. Swipes would reply,

after wiping his forehead, as if his whole mind were perspired away,

"though I don't pretend to say how far true it may be, that all the

land of England is to be cultivated for the public good, same as on

the continence, without no propriety or privacy, my lord. But I don't

altogether see how they be to do it. So I thought I'd better ask your

lordship."

"For the public good! The public-house good, you mean." The Admiral

answered nine times out of ten, being easily led from the track of his

wrath, and tired of telling Swipes that he was not a lord. "How

many times more must I tell you, Swipes, that I hate that Jacobin

association? Can you tell me of one seaman belonging to it? A set of

fish-jobbers, and men with barrows, and cheap-jacks from up the country.

Not one of my tenants would be such a fool as to go there, even if I

allowed him. I make great allowances for you, Swipes, because of your

obstinate nature. But don't let me hear of that Club any more, or YOU

may go and cultivate for the public good."

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