These considerations being premised, no wonder that they happened
to disagree in the freedom of an unreserved conversation, especially
as their entertainer took all opportunities of encouraging and
inflaming the contention. The first source of their difference was
an unlucky remark of the painter, who observed that the partridge,
of which he was then eating, had the finest relish of any he had
ever tasted. His friend owned that the birds were the best of the
kind he had seen in France; but affirmed that they were neither
so plump nor delicious as those that were caught in England. The
governor, considering this observation as the effect of prejudice
and inexperience, said, with a sarcastic smile, "I believe, sir,
you are very well disposed to find everything here inferior to
the productions of your own country."--"True, sir," answered the
physician, with a certain solemnity of aspect, "and not without
good reason, I hope."--"And pray," resumed the tutor, "why may not
the partridges of France be as good as those of England?"--"For
a very plain reason," replied the other; "because they are not so
well fed.
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