Theodore Winthrop

“ A great mechanic ranks with the great chiefs of his time, prophets, poets, orators, statesmen.
Padiham was in his shop at work. No mistaking him. A stunted, iron-gray man, not misshapen, but only shut together, like a one-barrelled opera-glass. ”

“ Suppose these fugitives have taken refuge with Padiham, — it may be to escape pursuit. Poor Mr. Clitheroe! Who knows what poverty may have permitted him to do? Better to hide in Lamely Court than to be stared at in a prison!
“My facts are slender basis for conclusion,” — so I avowed to myself on this review.
“But I would rather have a hope than no hope. The filmiest clew is kinder than no clew.
“I will finish my letter to old Short, dear boy, inventor of a well-omened Cut-off”; I will sleep like a top, with no mysterious disappearances to disturb me; I will be with the Dwarf by seven. ”

“ Beery journeymen keep such low art hanging before them to seduce them from any ambition to become master hands and beguile them back of beer. Padiham would of course need drawings of models and machines, and enjoy them; but I did not look for Art proper in his shop. ”

“ Tones are older in a man than words. He can learn a new tongue; his organ he hardly alters. If Nature has ordained a voice to howl, or snarl, or yelp, or bray, it will do so now and then, stuff our mouths with pebbles as we may. ”

“ Not a man, this, to err on facts or characters. A pretender person, a sham fact, he would test at once and dismiss. Short’s Cut-off had never met a sterner critic than this man with the square forehead and firm nose. ”

“ A lovely young lady, with dark hair, who blushed when I took my cue and praised Biddulph, she also lionized me. A thorough-bred American finds English life charming, especially if he is agreeably lionné; a scrubby American considers England a region of cold shoulder, too effete to appreciate impertinence. ”