requisite for fathoming the depths where machinations, recondite as those of Herbert, were travailing in their birth-throes. What, then,

could Villiers foresee? whose very attributes were so many instruments fitted to the concoctor's craft, and accordingly inverted by him to the detriment of their possessor.

Anxious to serve the unfortunate, reclaim the erring, Emile came necessarily into contact with the destitute and debased. This, Herbert encouraged; himself omitting no opportunity of amplifying meannesses or invalidating laudable motive-that Villiers, disgusted with humanity, might be drawn to despise its opinion-and, despairing of its improvement, become careless to its blame. He could readily, then, complete the rest.

Yet, failing here perchance, St. Leger's example might produce similar depravation: or, should his constant round of vitiatory pleasures vainly allure-the mere association, Herbert knew, would, with most, stamp Villiers as alike sunk in voluptuousness; and thus help to precipitate to that state best accordant with his aims.

But the prime mover was unseen withal. He engrossed variously Villiers' gratitude: by cau

tions and kindnesses, induced reliance: skilfully inveighed against improbity-that his own advices might eventually gain weight: and artfully exposed misfortune-that Emile, stimulated to its relief, might read its injustices. While depreciating St. Leger, he paid homage to his capability; while condemning his propensities, cast Villiers in their scope. Did Emile vacillate? he quietly confirmed: or rush impetuous? he damped his ardor: he probed him to a nerve. He bent trivialities, the most alien, towards the one issue; and where such, of themselves, did not offer, created them.-But, in each of these, his agency was unrecognisable; and when, in them, consisted but the scheme's superficial portion, how inscrutable must have been the policy which, darkling, ran its tortuous current beneath!-for adjuncts, still surer, were enlisted from undreamt-of sources, and strenuously woven round Villiers, till escape should be impossible from that complication of secreted toils.

They commence gradually to unfold.

The

first act of the drama is over. In swift, but noiseless, succession, ensue the scenes: though unheard their motion, their revelations how petrifying! how easily, yet how directly, tending

to the progress of the plot! how unlooked-for, how fearful in its havoc, the catastrophe!

No. 7.-French or English?

A noble company! what are their pleasures?

SHAKSPERE.-Henry VIII.

Lord Camell, St. Leger, Herbert, Aspic, and Villiers circled a snow-white marble slab in the Café Vivienne.

"Insuperable boasters!" Camell cried. "Here's the Versailles' railway: inimitable hand-book! -Encore un nouveau chemin de fer!' (awful announcement, declared with appropriate diction!) Paris a donné l'exemple, et la France, un moment en retard' (it's marvellous how that could have happened), 'va bientôt reprendre le rang qu' elle doit occuper parmi les nations' (I congratulate her heartily!)—A grand undertaking, says the unenlightened reader, this chemin de fer' -'cet immense travail'—which, tout-à-coup! has

exalted France to a distinguished roost amongst the nations! Exactly so! his fancy scuds over a thousand leagues of miracles, giddy, to this 'additional railway,' this 'immense achievment,' this magical example'-and lo! its extent before him stretches-one dozen miles !"

"What then?" inquired Aspic.

"What then, sir?—why, he devotes the whole canaille as I do now, to the

"Your lordship," said Berkeley, "would match this city with Sodom! Peradventure, there are ten righteous herein ?"

"And where are they? The women-the elegant, the rich, the titled-are characterised (a Frenchman himself avows) by petty intrigues, still-born amours, unmeaning smiles, senseless disdains, and cold attachment, 'beaucoup d'esprit, mais prodigué sans but' their insignificaut phrases, ravishing grimaces, must content us, for it were folly to expect a sentiment in their hearts. The men the renowned, the celebrated, the influential-are arrogant, ignorant, universally ill-principled-in fact, their stunted stature's fit index to their attainments; and Homer (I'm

Balzac.

confident) insinuated them under his satiric Battle of the Cranes and Pigmies."

This tickled Berkeley.

"Let's have at large," said Villiers, "your last three epithets. How do they incur arrogance ?" "How ?—by affixing paramount import to absurdest trifles; a cravat-tie-a note's phraseology-a bow or curtsy-are proofs of superhuman excellence, or businesses of eternal value. How?-by assuming adequacy to explain anght -be it never so impalpable, undefinable, supernatural-raking at and devising reason for it. How? by impenetrable perseverance in selfjustification, rather than acknowledge error. Ignorance? by disallowing writers merit beyond the pale of their language; by vaunting its superiority to any cotemporaneous; by even their best-informed owning incompetence* to understand our Young and Shakspere,—what wonder, when they can't understand themselves-par exemple, Barante on Rousseau. Ill-principle?— by deception being the very root of their constitution; by smirching, fawning, flattering, without incommoding themselves, a whit, for you-lavish of professions in the proportion that they are

* Chateaubriand.