CHAPTER IV.

WE are now about to ask the reader to repeat an action which, in all probability, he will have committed several times, without any hint from us. We earnestly request him, after reading a few more lines, to throw aside our pages, and to employ himself awhile in fancying himself possessed of such a black morocco pocket book, long black elastic steel purse and etceteras, as appertained to each of our two heroes. Imagination, we opine, if its wings be allowed full play, will lead him a strange dance. Such a dance, indeed, if the truth were to be confessed, as would be scarcely scemly if taken

in reality.

Should the eye of beauty be cast on this page, we beg it to be understood that the last sentence is not intended to apply to the fair.

We now suppose this task to be executed: and, if it be done fairly, and honestly, and without any mental reservation, the reader will not be surprised to hear that Charles Maxwell and Louis Desonges committed many egregious acts during their ramblings, for three years, upon the continent. The gentleman in black appears to have been perfectly satisfied with their proceedings: at all events he deemed his personal appearance before them unnecessary; and, it is said, that, having much business in hand at that period in Paris, he established his headquarters in the Palais Royal, and was to be seen, every hour of the day and night, at some one of the various cafés therein, or in the neighbourhood. His society seems likewise to have been

much sought after; and the dark old gentleman appeared in high glee, and entered into the spirit of all that was going on around him.

seen.

The young men had, in the meanwhile, seen all that was worth seeing, and many things which were not worth seeing, and many more which it might have been better if they had not Exhaustless purses bring endless wants; and they became patrons of the arts, and amateurs, cognoscenti, &c. &c. in music, painting, sculpture, engraving, &c. &c.: were, consequently, initiated into, and made fellows and members of various societies, instituted for various purposes, but, all professing the most disinterested motives, and aiming only at the public good. They sojourned awhile in Switzerland, talking and dreaming of Jean Jaques Rousseau. Then they passed into Italy, and saw Rome and the Pope, and talked of antiques and virtu, and picked up divers set terms rela

tive to painting, of the meaning of which they had some indistinct conception. Sicily and

Greece were visited because it was pleasant to be able to be able to say that they had been to those countries--and then they bent their way homeward through the Austrian territories, and tarried awhile at the sundry mighty little courts which were afterwards conglomerated by Napoleon into "The Confederation of the Rhine." Among these, each of our heroes lived "en prince," and by their profuse expenditure, excited a "6 "" great sensation! At length they parted, in the Netherlands, with mutual professions of interminable friendship, and a fixed resolution of keeping up a regular correspondence.

The French Revolution, however, which commenced almost immediately afterwards, revolved the whole machine of European politics with so rapid a whirl as to throw England and France,

like two balls impelled by centrifugal power, at the utmost possible distance from the central point of amity at which they had lain sometime quietly together;-the consequence of this convulsion was, that although Charles and Louis had correspondent and corresponding inclinations, they found it extremely difficult, and at length dangerous, to attempt to correspond; and so gradually lost sight of each other.

Charles returned to London, where some tons of statues, coins, vases, paintings, bronzes, and bonzes, "bas and haut relievos," mummies and mummeries, had arrived before him. Consequently, he walked amid a crowd of envious or admiring worshippers-a complete lion, like Juno amid the lesser goddesses;-" incedit leo," as Doctor Panglos would say. The shipment he had made was a most lucky hit, inasmuch as it ¡ntroduced him to the best society of the day, and obtained for him almost as many letters at