Page:Whyte-Melville--Bones and I.djvu/32

 night to be eternal—are but so many witnesses to the predominance in creation of a lavish and unaccountable waste."

Like many thoughtful and deliberate natures, I am persuaded that in early life "Bones" must have been a snuff-taker. He affects a trick of holding his fleshless finger and thumb pressed together and suspended in air, before he delivers himself of an opinion, that can only have originated in a practice he has since been compelled, for obvious reasons, to forego. Pausing during several seconds in this favourite attitude, he sank gravely back in his chair, and replied—

"False logic, my good friend. False premises, and a false conclusion. I deny them all; but the weather, even in my light attire, feels somewhat too close for wordy warfare. Besides, I hold with you, that an ounce of illustration is worth a pound of argument.