And hushed and melted round, the while, The wondering gossips gaze and gather. And thus, our Twins were saved to flow Thro' Time's far stream in rhyme and glory, And inch by inch together grow, The heroes of an English story. END OF CHAPTER I. BOOK I. ARGUMENT. The dissimilarity of disposition manifested by the Twins, as they grow up-Their mutual complaisance-A sketch of some of the inconveniences attendant upon a double life-The introduction of Mr. Hodges; the valuable truths discovered by that great traveller, as solely indigenous to Siam-The ungracious reception experienced by Mr. Hodges, in his zeal to reform the Bancok noblemen-His publicspirited resolution; his harangue, and the equivocal honours wherewith it is rewarded-The dangers of having greatness thrust upon us, exemplified by a certain fall-The influence which the consequences of that fall exercise over Chang and Ching-Simile, which concludes the chapter. CHAPTER II. I THINK, my own beloved Helvetius, And rear'd alike, there had been no I think 'tis clear, my Twins, who ne'er *External influence. |