Let any man ask himself whether, on his own part, they are acts of prayer and thanksgiving--and if not that, what then?
[Footnote 1: It is, I know, alleged that graces are said before dinner, because our Saviour uttered a blessing before his last supper.

I cannot say that the idea of such analogy is pleasing to me.] When the large party entered the dining-room one or two gentlemen might be seen to come in from some other door and set themselves at the table near to the duke's chair.

These were guests of his own, who were staying in the house, his particular friends, the men with whom he lived: the others were strangers whom he fed, perhaps once a year, in order that his name might be known in the land as that of one who distributed food and wine hospitably through the county.

The food and wine, the attendance also, and the view of the vast repository of plate he vouchsafed willingly to his county neighbours;--but it was beyond his good nature to talk to them.

To judge by the present appearance of most of them, they were quite as well satisfied to be left alone.
Frank was altogether a stranger there, but Mr Athill knew every one at the table.
"That's Apjohn," said he: "don't you know, Mr Apjohn, the attorney from Barchester?
he's always here; he does some of Fothergill's law business, and makes himself useful.