tolerated. The spirit of improvement is advancing upon you, and ye must either yield to, or fly before it. There is a great cry abroad to set up the standard of merit, and expel the scoundrels and blockheads from the high places of the world, which they have too long usurped to the exclusion of the rightful owners. These are no speculative predictions, but the palpable signs of the times, which he who runs may read.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE Society into which I was thrown this year by my political connexions, differed materially in character from that of which I had been a member during the last session. It had less brilliancy than that of the Whig wits, but more solidity; and owing to the change that was gradually taking place in my tastes and habits, it had more substantial attractions for me, than the feverish excitement which marked the conversation of my former associates. My new friends were likewise for the most part worthy private characters, as well as able and honest in public life, and this was now a consideration to me. They were stigmatized by their showy opponents as humdrums, and I was a good deal badgered at first, for my connexion with them, but this ridicule, like every other attempt at any period of my life to divert me from my settled purpose, passed by me like idle wind.

I shall not detail any conversation which took place at our dinners, for though they were always rational and interesting, and not without wit as well as wisdom, they chiefly related to politics, and therefore were of a nature not exceedingly palatable to my fair friends, who, I fear, are sadly disappointed, after all, by the unromantic style of my love affair, and the straight-forward matter-of-fact manner in which it is obvious it must end. I scorn indeed to deceive you by encouraging hopes of mystery and embarrassments which 1 cannot gratify. I feel myself already growing domestic and dull; the spell of matrimony is upon me, and Sydenham's occupation is gone!

My old friends, the Whigs, as I, who knew them well, had suspected, and as others who knew them still better, had more positively predicted, now began to show that they intended to preserve the consistency of their character by relaxing their hold of that measure, their great and last resource, which, like Fox's India Bill, if carried, must have secured to them a long lease of office; and if frustrated, must drive them disgraced, into another half century of desperate and impotent opposition. To persons who, like myself, are ad

dicted to the study of man, it is delightful to observe this keeping in character. Had they, upon coming into power, behaved with decency and good sense, I should have been disappointed. The country has invariably despised and distrusted them; and this is no prejudice, but a judgment founded upon their conduct whenever they have been armed with power. They swagger and talk big, when their efforts are confined to empty-bullying; but give them place, and they aggravate their voices, and roar you in Bottom's vein. They have one vote for opposition, and another for office. The maxims of patriotism and liberty are ever upon their lips; but their hearts and heads are far from both. They have nothing to do with either, except theoretically; for their practice carries into extravagance and abuse the doctrines of Toryism, though with an effrontery which excites both one's laughter and indignation, they will tell you that they do not depart from their principles. They remind me of the ingenious philosopher Square, who dilates upon the "beauty of virtue and the fitness of things," and is found by his pupil not equivocally situated in a young lady's bedchamber. But is Square abashed by this discovery? Not a jot; for he can prove it to be perfectly consistent with the beauty of virtue and the eternal fitness of things. "True," says he, "I should have been unpardonable had I originally seduced the damsel from the paths of virtue; but when I find the thing done, am I reprehensible for obeying the dictates of nature? I cannot make the matter worse, for the ice was already broken before I came; so that I have only acted in conformity to the eternal and immutable fitness of things." In like manner argue my quondam friends, when envy or malice would detect a discrepancy between their principles and their professions. "What!" says the Whig minister, "am I to be blamed for giving to my own in preference to strangers? With whose merits should I be so well acquainted, as with those of my own kindred? and I protest that I know none better qualified to hold their several offices, than my sons, brothers, and cousins, whom I have respectively appointed to them. Who shall say, then, that I have not fully redeemed my pledge of giving only to the most worthy? True, I have clamoured for retrenchment; but if, instead of alleviating, I am obliged to add to the burdens of the country, am I to be loaded with reproaches? Consider, unreasonable man, the circumstances of the country, and lay the blame upon those who brought it into such circumstances, as to render re

trenchment impossible at present. Therefore," &c. &c. Now this is reasoned in the very spirit of the notable philosopher, celebrated by our great national novelist, and I strongly suspect that Fielding must have intended that character as an allegorical representation of the Whigs. Never had the character of the party been more satisfactorily developed and vindicated than by the present administration. With an effrontery, imbecility, and profligacy, which Whigs only could display in such prominent combination, they now, just before it was committed, signified their intention of dismembering that darling measure, upon preserving the integrity of which they had staked their personal honour, and what was of more importance, their official existence. But observe their first retrograde movement. At the commencement, they retreat in gallant style, with their faces to the enemy, at the same time stoutly denying, with ludicrous impudence, that they were retreating at all! In the beginning of the contest, they blustered about "victory or death!" and swore that they would not yield an inch of ground; now, however, when they found the day going against them, their leader intimated that though he would adhere to his pledge of "no surrender," yet, should he be hard pressed upon any point he would allow it to be taken from him "male pertinaci."

So much for the Whigs. As to their subsequent acts, are they not written in the chronicles? Yes, thank heaven, they are to be found in imperishable records, otherwise I would give them a place here, for the benefit of posterity.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

ONE evening when there was to be a great debate, Alice was induced to make one of a party of ladies to the roof of the House of Commons. She had never before witnessed the assembly of our collective wisdom, and such was my opinion of her good sense, acuteness, and knowledge of the world, that I felt interested to know the result of her observation upon us. The debate which took place upon this occasion, brought out the principal characteristics of the House. It lasted for six hours, and comprised speakers of every description.

The next day I asked Lady Jane how she had been entertained?

"Oh, very much, indeed," was her reply. I expressed doubt from her manner, that she was quite sincere, and desired that she would say what she really thought.

"Now you only want to make me say something silly, and then to despise me afterwards. I know it was all very clever, but I did not understand the question, and therefore could not appreciate it. I was like a shuttlecock during the whole time; for every speaker on both sides, convinced me alternately that his opinion was right, which of course was very absurd."

"At all events, you can tell which speech pleased you

most."

"I dare say my taste will be pronounced quite wrong," answered she; "but if you will have it, I must say Lord M's. Oh, it was so eloquent! and his voice so melodious, and his attitudes so graceful! I wonder how the House could bestow so much more applause on that long speech of Mr. H. who is as hoarse as a raven, and whose only action was thumping upon the box which stood on the table before him. I see you are laughing at my opinion, but I have told you the truth, as you desired me.

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It was true, indeed, that I could not suppress a smile at my fair friend's unsophisticated preference. Mr. H. whom she voted a bore, was one of the very few members of that