Camperdown, with sarcasm.
"Pots and pans may be precious, too," replied Mr. Dove. "Such things can
be traced, and can be held as heirlooms without imposing too great
difficulties on their guardians. The Law is generally very wise and
prudent, Mr. Camperdown; much more so often than are they who attempt to
improve it."
"I quite agree with you there, Mr. Dove."
"Would the Law do a service, do you think, if it lent its authority to the
special preservation in special hands of trinkets only to be used for
vanity and ornament? Is that a kind of property over which an owner should
have a power of disposition more lasting, more autocratic, than is given
him even in regard to land? The land, at any rate, can be traced. It is a
thing fixed and known. A string of pearls is not only alterable, but
constantly altered, and cannot easily be traced."
"Property of such enormous value should, at any rate, be protected," said
Mr. Camperdown indignantly.
"All property is protected, Mr. Camperdown; although, as we know too well,
such protection can never be perfect. But the system of heirlooms, if
there can be said to be such a system, was not devised for what you and I
mean when we talk of protection of property.
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