And, moreover, he could enjoy a good supper and
knew the flavor of good wine. A man of such rare accomplishments
came to be a general favorite, and so you encountered Mr. Elliott at
nearly all the fashionable parties.
Mr. Ridley had met the reverend doctor twice, and had been much
pleased with him. What he had heard him say about the healthy or
rather saving influences of pure wine had taken a strong hold of his
thoughts, and he had often wished for an opportunity to talk with
him about it. On this evening he found that opportunity. Soon after
his arrival at the house of Mr. Birtwell he saw Mr. Elliott in one
of the parlors, and made his way into the little group which had
already gathered around the affable clergyman. Joining in the
conversation, which was upon some topic of the day, Mr. Ridley, who
talked well, was not long in awakening that interest in the mind of
Mr. Elliott which one cultivated and intelligent person naturally
feels for another; and in a little while, they had the conversation
pretty much to themselves. It touched this theme and that, and
finally drifted in a direction which enabled Mr. Ridley to refer to
what he had heard Mr. Elliott say about the healthy effect of pure
wine on the taste of men whose appetites had become morbid, and to
ask him if he had any good ground for his belief.
"I do not know that I can bring any proof of my theory," returned
Mr.
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