man by the fils unique; and these qualifications he had been taught to hold, like all other homemade articles, cheap, though durable. "How are you, Herbert ?-give me your hand. I hope you have been happy, for you see I have spared no expense to make you so." "Infiniment obligé, my dear Sir." Here terminated the colloquy.―The Lady Mother was for repairing immediately to Lady Claver's; but her son informed her that he had matter of moment for her secret ear, and it was arranged that she should stay at home all the morning, for the purpose of consulting together.

Lady Gertrude's love for her son (a love in which the dose of female pride was very strong) was such, that she not only spoiled him in infancy and in his boyish days, but she was quite prepared to be the apologist of all his errors, provided they were fashionable ones, in the season of his manhood. His squandering away thousands she anticipated; his gaming she dreaded, but if he lost large sums to a duke it would be all well; if he had les égaremens du cœur, it was

no more than might be expected, c'était de son age ;—had he a carriage-lady, or became a protector (a name doubtless derived from the era of the common-wealth, and the days of Cromwell) why, if all was splendid and added to his notoriety, it must be passed over, and no doubt he would see his error in time-pension off the Aspasia of the day (by a wife's fortune, if his own was gone,) and make a grand family alliance: all these things are bagatelles in the grand monde. This was her maternal tenderness, or rather her maternal blindness.

Now her darling had none of these confidences à faire; but merely to state to her, as briefly as possible, his entanglement with the dashing widow, and to seek counsel on that head. Mother and son were therefore to be closeted, a cabinet council was to be held; but, just as awful silence was about to be proclaimed, her Ladyship bethought herself, and ejaculated:"Apropos, my dear Herbert, have I got the same box at the Opera as I had last season ?"

"The very identical one."

"And my new carriage ?"

"The admiration of the Acre."

"Then all's well! Now to this serious matter -we'll go to the Opera together to-night, and you will see me in the Park on Sunday: allons commençons." Monsieur Hair-bare (not bareface) disposed of his story as briefly as possible, until he came to the widow's fate, and then a little time and ceremony were necessary.

Lady Gertrude prided herself on her son's having cut out so many right honourable and honourable beaux in Lady Lydia's circle; and had a little secret (we dare not say womanish) satisfaction in seeing the most elegant coquette of the age, not merely angling for a rich husband, but éprise de bonne foie: the alliance would have pleased her amazingly. The lady's difficulties she was unacquainted with, and, had she known them, they would not have stood in the way of a noble alliance, provided every thing

else suited her; but there were objections which were insurmountable. Lady Lydia was not only a widow, but she never had had any family by Colonel Languish it was true, disait-on, that he was old enough to be her father; but then, should her ladyship not perpetuate the race of Greenlaw, what a falling off would be there !—no heir in the male line to the entailed property, no chance of the dormant baronetcy-a subject which never was at rest with her. Finally, he might get a younger bride and titled too. The match must be broken off, but it was to be done in a manière comme il faut, great delicacy must be used: she must pay her devoirs to Lady Lydia in person; she would even go to her parties; but her son must not marry her. This was a decided point, and in one shape suited our hero; but still the fatal letter required a deal of weighing he was delicate on many points, his heart was not at ease, he stood not quite blameless in foro conscientia; he must attend her

evening party, after passing an hour in Lady Gertrude's box; he must frame an answer, a thing not easy when a man means to temporize instead of giving his ultimatum, the thing required in the able, impassioned, and artful document.

All that could be effected was, to patch up a written reply full of flattery and adoration, ceaseless regrets, and interminable sufferings; to paint a heart broken but not estranged, severed but still attached, widowed without having been united; and at the same time to lay all the onus of blame on his lady-mother, and to hope that time might bring oblivion with it to the soft bosom of his enchantress, and that he alone might bear with fortitude the envenomed shaft: -the tenderest friendship might perhaps succeed to the most ardent passion. The rest was all but leather and prunella," but

not

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was Italian poetry, or French quackery: a bleeding heart stood in imagery for a seal, the billet was highly perfumed-sweet fellow! and he