“I do not approve of that Master O’Rapley by any means, with his cynicisms and sarcasms and round squares. Did ever anyone hear of such a contradiction?”
“Have patience,” quoth I, “and we shall see how worthy Master O’Rapley makes it out. I conjecture that he means the same thing that we hear of under the term, ‘putting the round peg into the square hole.’”
“But why should such a thing be done when it is easy surely to find a square peg that would fit?”
“Granted; but the master-hand may be under obligations to the round peg; or the round peg may be a disagreeable peg, or a hundred things: one doesn’t know. I am but a humble observer of human nature, and like not these ungracious cavillings at Master O’Rapley. Let us calmly follow this dream, and endeavour to profit by its lessons without finding fault with its actors.”
“But I would like to have a better explanation of that Round Square, nevertheless,” muttered my wife as she went on with her knitting. So to appease her I discoursed as follows:—
“The round square,” said I, “means the inappropriate combination of opposites.”
“Now, not too long words,” said she, “and not too much philosophy.”
“Very well, my dear,” I continued; “Don O’Rapley
is right, not in his particular instance, but in the general application of his meaning. Look around upon the world, or so much of it as is comprised within our own limited vision, and what do you find?”
“I find everything,” said my wife, “beautifully ordered and arranged, from the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Parish Beadle.”