; being indeed
horribly jealous and distrustful of its people always, and only tolerating them
because of their working hard, which made them very useful; labour being held in
greater indignity in the simple republic than in any other country upon earth.
This rendered Martin curious to see what grounds of sympathy the Watertoast
Association put forth; nor was he long in suspense, for the General rose to read
a letter to the Public Man, which with his own hands he had written.
    »Thus,« said the General, »thus, my friends and fellow-citizens, it runs:
 
        Sir,
            I address you on behalf of the Watertoast Association of United
        Sympathisers. It is founded, sir, in the great republic of America! and
        now holds its breath, and swells the blue veins in its forehead nigh to
        bursting, as it watches, sir, with feverish intensity and sympathetic
        ardour, your noble efforts in the cause of Freedom.«
 
At the name of Freedom, and at every repetition of that name, all the
Sympathisers roared aloud; cheering with nine times nine, and nine times over.
 
        »In Freedom's name, sir - holy Freedom - I address you. In Freedom's
        name, I send herewith a contribution to the funds of your society. In
        Freedom's name, sir, I advert with indignation and disgust to that
        accursed animal, with gore- stained whiskers, whose rampant cruelty and
        fiery lust have ever been a scourge, a torment to the world. The naked
        visitors to Crusoe's Island, sir; the flying wives of Peter Wilkins; the
        fruit- smeared children of the tangled bush; nay, even the men of large
        stature, anciently bred in the mining districts of Cornwall; alike bear
        witness to its savage nature. Where, sir, are the Cormorans, the
        Blunderbores, the Great Feefofums, named in History? All, all,
        exterminated by its destroying hand.
            I allude, sir, to the British Lion.
            Devoted, mind and body, heart and soul, to Freedom, sir - to
        Freedom, blessed solace to the snail upon the cellar-door, the oyster in
        his pearly bed, the still mite in his home of cheese, the very winkle of
        your country in his shelly lair - in her unsullied name, we offer you
        our sympathy. Oh, sir, in this our cherished and our happy land, her
        fires burn bright and clear and smokeless: once lighted up in yours, the
        lion shall be roasted whole.
            I am, sir, in Freedom's name,
            Your affectionate friend and faithful
