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The pursuits of Sir FRANCIS WENTWORTH are perfectly distinct from any that have been hitherto described. This youth was born and bred a staunch Whig. Even in the nursery the true principles were instilled into his expanding ideas with the greatest assiduity. Instead of the common food with which the love of the marvellous, so early evinced by children, is usually served,such as the astonishing exploits of Jack the Giant Killer, or the adventures of Tom Thumb; little Frank was supplied with political caricatures and electioneering ballads. His laced baby-cap was made in the shape of that of liberty; and whenever he was admitted to the family dessert, to have half a glass of wine on Papa's knee, he was first required to lisp out the patriotic toast of "The cause for which Hampden bled in the field and Sydney perished on the scaffold," long before he could possibly understand the import of the sentence; and to repeat after his uncle, in a shrill voice,-"The liberty of the Press

passioned Dido on the departure by the stout old Capulet of the of Eneas. But the eagerness with premises. which he delivered himself up to the sway of the potent wands of our own native magicians, Shakspeare and the elder tragedians, with Scott, Byron, and Coleridge of the present day, was carried to an excess. I believe he had reached the perfection of human happiness, when, having locked himself in his room, this poetical enthusiast indulged in sentimental tears over some favourite poem which he was reading aloud with energy and feeling. This sensibility often led Gerard into many other extravagancies; and he was looked upon as a romantic visionary by those of the common mould. He would frequently steal away from a comfortable fire-side to wander on a chilly autumn evening in the gloom of Poet's Walk, with his arms folded, to commune with solitude, to watch the fleecy clouds as they past over the glimmering moon, and, I was going to add, to meditate on some ideal beauty. But no! Gerard was not a shadow hunter: unexistent creatures of the imagination were by no means to his taste, for he knew well how to attach sufficient value to the liquid blue eyes of a substantial Charlotte, or the graceful figure and auburn ringlets of a real Sophia. Hence his pockets were crammed with billet-doux and sonnets on the charms of the adorable Miss R. T, or the last dying speech and confession of the love-lorn Gerard, previous to his quenching the flames of passion in a cold bath. This amorous disposition led our Romeo into many ludicrous scrapes. He has been shot at for a black cat; has narrowly escaped a man trap; has been well soused by his Juliet, and soundly horsewhipped

it is like the air we breathe;" -(while his eyes were evidently turned towards the glass at the latter part of the sentence,)" if we have it not, we die." The labours of the parents met with the success their most ardent wishes anticipated. When he had now reached the period at which boys who are intended for public schools prepare for their debut on a miniature world, his father (the late Sir Marmaduke) was a long time debating with himself at which seminary the future hopes of the family should be placed. At first he was afraid that Eton was situated too near the atmosphere of

a Court; and the main consideration was, the danger there might be of Frank's principles becoming corrupted. This school had also been disgraced, in his eyes, as the nursery of Canning; but when he reflected, on the other hand, that it had had the honour of edu

cating two such "burning and shining lights" in the parliamentary hemisphere as the great Fox, and the kindred spirit who caught the mantle of the departing orator, and with it an inspiration which has raised him to the pre-eminent station which he at present holds among his party,-the Earl Grey; all scruples vanished, and Frank was sent to Eton. Here, however, he did not find that coincidence of opinion which he had been in the habit of meeting with at his father's table: nothing is more foreign to the dispositions of the would-be politicians at school, and at Eton in particular, than sycophancy or complaisant concessions in party sentiments. It is an independence of soul worthy the true offspring of Englishmen; and although it is the cause of a good deal of squabbling between the champions of opposite parties, which are as regularly organized here as on the more extensive stage of the real world; yet when we consider that these are the minds which will be hereafter summoned to the management of the helm of Legislature, can it be otherwise than beneficial for themselves and their destinies, that they should be exercising those talents here, which will be of so much importance in their maturity elsewhere? Thus young Frank met with those who were both willing and able to grapple with and discuss every notion which he advanced, and had hitherto been taught to consider as incontrovertible as Gospel.

Opposition, as one might readily expect, made him more violent, because the foundation had been deeply laid in his infancy; and during the whole course of his boyhood, the most indefatigable exertions had been used to build a firm superstructure upon it. Having therefore been beforehand furnished with arms, and well instructed in the art of wielding them, he had now a field opened for him on which to signalize himself; and so successful did he prove, that he was at length tacitly acknowledged as the Whig Leader of the School. But such a distinction could not be obtained or permanently secured without a close application to the study of political economy. It is true that some, who pretend to take the lead in this line, content themselves with ringing the changes on a certain string of set sentences, while their mouths are continu ally full of aggravated philippics against tyranny, taxation and oppression, and theoretical panegyrics upon universal liberty and the unshackled freedom of the press, without being able to bring them to bear really and substantially on the question in debate. This is not the case with the young Baronet. From a close investi gation of his darling study, and a sincere desire of information, he has lately learnt a degree of moderation in his assertions which was heretofore a desideratum. He still, however, pushes the same outcries against existing corrup→ tions, boroughmongers, and placemen; the extravagance of the expenditure, and the incapacity of Ministers. Step into his room, and you will discover the man from the company he keeps. The first object which strikes the eye is an immense bust of Charles James

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Fox, with the "Vincit amor patria" on the pedestal. Look round you at the caricatures, and you will see the Ministers and their satellites falling headlong from their political spheres, like Lucifer and his angels, while the glorious sun of "Opposition" has gained the complete ascendancy in the firmament. His book-shelves are well provided with various works on statistics, from the tomes of Hume and Adam Smith,to the compositions of Malthus, Brougham, and Jeremy Bentham. Though there are some authors of questionable principles, the great majority consist of writers after Sir Frank's own heart; and never perhaps was my Lord Clarendon in such mixed company. The tables were strewed with the Edinburgh Reviews, parliamentary proceedings, files of old Chronicles and Examiners, and pamphlets of all sizes. Here is the room of audience, in which this blooming sprig of Whiggism assembles his friends and followers to breakfast, and communicates to them in confidence the latest despatches which he has received from town of the state of affairs; the new speculations which are afloat; and the general understanding there is that the Ministry are to be turned out-immediately another cabinet can be formed without them: he then reads out, for their edification, Lord Erskine's last publication, or some other text-book; and, having thus strengthened their minds, he sends them forth to fight in the "good cause, as he tells them, like sheep among wolves.

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There are two distinguishing features in the mental physiognomy of MARTIN STERLING: a religious and political firmness of principle. Awakened to a due sense of the -importance of the passage, "Re

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member thy Creator in the days of thy youth;" and disgusted with the thoughtlessness and levity with which every thing connected with religion was treated among a certain set of his schoolfellows, he was often caught in his study examining that old-fashioned book, which has been long exploded by the new school of philosophy, as utterly unworthy the attention of men of wit and genius-the Bible. Not that I would for a moment insinuate that the slightest tinge of scepticism, as to the truth of revealed doctrines, had infected the young élèves of Eton, many of whom are hereafter destined to mount the pulpit: but the assent given was too frequently a cold one, in which no interest was shown; a matter of course; an old deed, to which, for decency's sake, they felt themselves obliged to put their signatures, at the re commendation of parents, or from the force of general example; the validity of which they never, indeed,dreamt of questioning,though they did not once reflect that they were bound to fulfil its provisions, any further than preserving an appearance of decorum in attending Church-service. All other duties they imagined might be safely deferred to a more convenient season, when the amusements and gaieties of youth had lost their flavour. In addition to the offence which Martin gave by the bent which his closet studies had taken, his conduct at chapel was observed to be at variance with the usual nonchalance and listlessness of his neighbours. Instead of arranging matters for the next game at cricket or football, or composing a copy of verses, for which he could not find leisure at a more proper time, he was silly enough to be following the Chaplain in the

lessons of the day, and has been even overheard to whisper an "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer. This behaviour stamped him with the appellation of " Methodist ;" and an everlasting fire of small shot, witticisms, sneers, and mockery was kept up against the saint, by those whose resentment he provoked by his stern homedriven phillippics against swearing, drunkenness, and the like. By no means of irritable temper, he preserved his equanimity admirably, and his patience under insults never failed him. His conduct indeed subjected him to ridiculė; but Martin was one on whom the opinion of the multitude weighed but as dust in the balance, in his discernment between right and wrong; nay, it generally took a contrary effect. Having paid great attention to ecclesiastical writings, he is become a stout polemic in divinity, and as high a churchman as ever took the Bampton Lectures for the standard of faith; a work, by the bye, which an elder brother at Oxford is commissioned to procure for him regularly on the first day of publication. The superiority of his abilities is incontestible. To a thoughtful and unprejudiced mind, his clear reasoning, and the acute remarks which he makes on the last sermon he has heard in chapel, are a source of pleasing instruction; the analysis which a retentive memory enables him to give of the subject embraced by the preacher is true and correct; and the manner in which he embodies in theme the beautiful language and clear argument of the muchesteemed author of "Records of the Creation," has gained him great applause. But I have alluded to his political principles. These, if we may believe his ad

versaries, are bigotted to the extreme. In fact, he professes himself a Tory; or, more properly speaking, a Ministerialist; for the old distinction between Whig and Tory, according to Madame de Stael's definition, "that the former approve of monarchy and love liberty-the latter approve of liberty but love monarchy,"is grown obsolete. The two parties, which at present divide the State, may be classed under the two heads of those who systematically support, and those who as systematically oppose, the measures of the existing administration. As the head of the Eton True Blues, Martin is often opposed in fierce debates and furious bickerings with Sir Frank Wentworth, and the epithets of Toad-eater and Demagogue are often exchanged between them. The one accuses his opponent of supporting the doctrines of the infallibility of Ministers, and the divine right of Kings; and the other retorts, by ridiculing the sovereignty of the mob, and stigmatizing the Utopian theories of Universal Representation.

But, gentle Readers, I flatter myself you are all expecting with impatience a sketch of the worthy Chairman himself. Like a literary gourmand I have reserved his character for a bon-bouche, but cannot sufficiently lament my inability to do it justice. The difficulty of the undertaking consists in distinguishing the different shades, which are so confused and blended together, that a sort of indefinable mystery is thrown over the tout-ensemble; and it would be presumption, and (what has more weight) bad policy for me to withdraw the veil, which forbids the gaze of the profane and uninitiated. There is something which attracts our respect and attention in whatever is without the

pale of our comprehension. Where would have been the reverence which the Heathen paid to the oracles, had he been acquainted with the detail of the natural or artificial causes from whence they proceeded? Yet far be it from any one to conclude from what I have said, that in this case familiarity would breed contempt; I confidently refer you to that surest of all tests, Time. "From his works thou shalt know him :" and Time is the crucible which will show whether they contain most dross or pure gold. I will, however, venture on a few outlines:

PEREGRINE COURTENAY has long been considered a fac-totum in Etonian literature;—a centre of gravity, which attracts to itself every boy, who is in any way distinguished for talent or merit ;-a solar orb, around which they all revolve, and which (although they cannot be said to borrow their heat and light from it) serves as a consolidating head of the system, and gives the powers of each separate member of it that efficacy and direction which they would otherwise want. Possessed of sound good sense, rather than of brilliance of genius, he is better known for his general acquirements and universal information, than for extraordinary progress in any one individual branch of knowledge : and hence we may account for the influence which he possesses over, and the respect which he receives from, his brother students. He investigates questions of moral and natural philosophy with Allen, and very often solves them by the clear-sightedness of a good understanding, to the astonishment of his companion, whose brain has become muddled over them. With Montgomery he hunts for beauties, and inquires into the

principles of poetry; and it is whispered that it is not merely for purposes of theory. With Frederick he bandies witticisms, and coins satirical critiques upon the foibles and follies of our miniature world; and he moreover acts as umpire in the political disputes between Frank and Martin Sterling. The admirable coolness and impartiality with which he composes the feuds of these adverse leaders, while he points out to them the difference between despotism and a constitutional monarchy, the freedom and licentiousness of the press, conciliates for him the esteem of both parties. Being now one of the senior members of the Sixth Form, the intercourse which he is enabled to keep up with both the Universities in his correspondence with old acquaintances, who have preceded him in the road of life, has greatly extended his means of information; and with the world at large his thirst after knowledge has opened to him many sources of intelli-, gence. If any new work is about to make its appearance, Peregrine has heard of it, and is in a fever of expectation: if it has appeared, Peregrine has read it, and his summing up of the merits and demerits of the composition generally influences the public verdict at Eton. Has any publication come forth anonymously? who so likely to have received accounts of the latest surmises which are current in the blue stocking circles on the subject of the author, as Peregrine? In addition to these traits of character, he has something of the virtuoso about him, at least if we may judge from the proofs of that pursuit which are so abundantly scattered over his room. Here a plaster cast of the Venus di Medicis or the Apollo Belvidere,

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