For the doctrine of Mr.Malthus (recently promoted to a Professorship at the East India College) he had a robust contempt.

He openly regretted that, owing to the negligence of our forefathers, the outbreak of war found Great Britain with but fifteen million inhabitants to match against twenty-five million Frenchmen.

_They_ threatened to invade _us_, whereas _we_ should rather have been in a position to march on Paris! He asked nothing better.

He quoted with sardonic emphasis the remark of a politician that "'twas hardly worth while to go to war merely to prove that we could put ourselves in a good posture for defence." "If I had my way," announced Major Hymen, "every woman in England should have a dozen children at least." "What a man!" said Miss Pescod afterwards to Miss Sally Tregentil, who had dropped in for a cup of tea.
And yet the Major was a bachelor.

They could not help wondering a little.
"With two such names, too!" mused Miss Sally.