In hand she boldly took

To make another like the former dame,

Another Florimell in shape and look

So lively and so like that many it mistook.--SPENSER

¹ Some think it wrongly attributed to him.

He begins to think for himself and meets Nineteenth century Rationalism

CHAPTER ONE

Dixit Insipiens¹³

Still I lay dreaming in bed, and looked, and I saw John go plodding along the road westward in the bitter black of a frosty night. He walked so long that the morning broke. Then presently John saw a little inn by the side of the road and a woman with a broom who had opened the door and was sweeping out the rubbish. So he turned in there and called for a breakfast, and while it was cooking he sat down in a hard chair by the newly-lit fire and fell asleep. When he woke the sun was shining in through the window and there was his breakfast laid. Another traveller was already eating: he was a big man with red hair and a red stubble on all his three chins, buttoned up very tight. When they had both finished the traveller rose and cleared his throat and stood with his back to the fire. Then he cleared his throat again and said:

"A fine morning, young sir."

"Yes, sir," said John.

"You are going West, perhaps, young man?"

"I--I think so."

"It is possible that you don't know me."

"I am a stranger here."

"No offence," said the stranger. "My name is Mr. Enlightenment¹⁴, and I believe it is pretty generally known. I shall be happy to give you my assistance and protection as far as our ways lie together."

John thanked him very much for this and when they went out from the inn there was a neat little trap waiting, with a fat little pony between the shafts: and its eyes were so bright and its harness was so well polished that it was difficult to say which was twinkling the keener in the morning sunshine. They both got into the trap and Mr. Enlightenment whipped up the fat little pony and they went bowling along the road as if nobody had a care in the world. Presently they began to talk.

"And where might you come from, my fine lad?" said Mr. Enlightenment.

Which can explain away religion by any number of methods

"From Puritanica, sir," said John.

"A good place to leave, eh?"

"I am so glad you think that," cried John. "I was afraid--"

"I am a man of the world," said Mr. Enlightenment. "Any young fellow who is anxious to better himself may depend on finding sympathy and support in me. Puritania! Why, I suppose you have been brought up to be afraid of the Landlord."

"Well, I must admit I sometimes do feel rather nervous."

"You may make your mind easy, my boy. There is no such person."

"There is absolutely no such thing--I might even say no such entity--in existence. There never has been and never will be."

"And is this absolutely certain?" cried John; for a great hope was rising in his heart.

"Absolutely certain. Look at me, young man. I ask you--do I look as if I was easily taken in?"

"Oh, no," said John hastily. "I was just wondering, though. I mean--how did they all come to think there was such a person?"

"The Landlord is an invention of those Stewards. All made up to keep the rest of us under their thumb: and of course the Stewards are hand in glove with the police. They are a shrewd lot, those Stewards. They know which side their bread is buttered on, all right. Clever fellows. Damn me, I can't help admiring them."

"But do you mean that the Stewards don't believe it themselves?"

"I dare say they do. It is just the sort of cock and bull story they would believe. They are simple old souls most of them--just like children. They have no knowledge of modern science and they would believe anything they were told."

John was silent for a few minutes. Then he began again:

"But how do you know there is no Landlord?"

"Christopher Columbus, Galileo, the earth is round, invention of printing, gunpowder!" exclaimed Mr. Enlightenment in such a loud voice that the pony shied.

"I beg your pardon," said John.

"Eh?" said Mr. Enlightenment.

"I didn't quite understand," said John.