to look round, though I trod as lightly as | except in vulgar fractions, sir,” tossed her
possible. People looked at me with a pretty head, floated off, and was lost in the
well-bred stare; most of them recognized crowd.
my companion, and began to crowd round
him, so that for some time we got no fur-
ther than the foot of the staircase.

Ah, is it so again?" sighed Mr. Walpole, shaking his head sadly; "the pity I remembered the painful story, and as│of it, the pity of it! that such a matchless I looked from one to the other of this ill-wit should be so recklessly blunted. Yet matched pair, I could not but reflect that he, of all men, might surely echo Ben the lady, whose face, with all its beauty, told of a cold and formal nature, was scarcely one to hold in thrall a man of violent passions and impulsive disposition.

"And how would your Grace judge a poor mime," asked a gentleman (329) in brown coat and lace ruffles, who overheard the last remark, "who both is and acts the sinner?"

"By a new decalogue, specially framed to embrace every case from Macbeth's to Abel Drugger's," was the reply," and even that will require a codicil to deal with Mr. Garrick, who has shown so little regard for the old law."

Suddenly all was hushed, and with a look of comical terror they separated, leaving Mr. Walpole and me in the presence of a lady of middle age and extraordinary appearance, fantastically arrayed in Oriental dress. I observed that Mr. Walpole shuddered slightly, though he was too well-bred to exhibit any expression except one of courteous deference to the new-comer.

66 Well, I declare," she exclaimed in a high key, "that is too bad. I heard you all laughing; and I am dying to hear some fun, and they have all run away as if I had the plague. Why did you let them go, Mr. Walpole?

Graces have gone in search of more diverting company than mine."

I was not a grimace—it was a transformation that came over the great actor's features; never had I seen a human countenance so completely altered by momentary contortion of the muscles. "Ah!" he exclaimed, his face resuming its natural "I never aspired to have the slightest intelligent beauty, and his black eyes control over persons of your sex, madam,' sparkling merrily, "what can be more ap- replied he, in tones of mock solemnity. propriate?-here comes the third Grace."I can, however, easily divine that their Your Grace," he said to the beautiful Elizabeth Gunning, Duchess of Hamilton and of Argyll (130), as she joined our group, "we will, if you please, reverse the procedure in the judgment of Paris; I claim to be tried by the three goddesses." "You must first allot us our parts," answered the third duchess (in whose beauty, I may remark parenthetically, I was sadly disappointed, though that may have been the fault of the painter), as she took a delicate pinch of snuff from the jewelled box handed to her by the Duchess of Devonshire.

"Unless," replied Garrick, "I am allowed the same facilities as Paris enjoyed, I can only allot the parts according to the make-up; and your Grace, in that magnificent robe of crimson velvet and ermine, can fill no other part but that of Juno. But you must remember that the milliner's art was not allowed to interfere with Paris's impartiality."

"For shame, sir!" cried the Duchess of Gordon; "how dare you make such a suggestion to the mothers of three families?"

All fell a-laughing-though I confess to having felt a little shocked at the freedom with which an actor spoke in the presence of these great ladies.

"Well, well, ladies," observed Garrick, "have it as you will; I throw myself on the mercy of the court, but I beg that in trying my case you will bear in mind the appeal made by an Irish counsel, who, in defending a prisoner, besought the jury to remember the Scriptural doctrine, that there is more joy in heaven over one guilty person who is acquitted, than over ninety and nine innocent ones who are convicted!"

She gave a discontented little laugh, reminding me for all the world of a wicked fairy.

Well, sir, and isn't it cruelly cold here to-night! La! how I could ever be fool enough to come back to this odious cli. mate, only fit for seals and wild geese! And then everything is penetrated with the horrid odeur anglaise - the smell of coal smoke. I declare I have never been clear of the catarrh since I landed."

"Your ladyship's toilet is certainly better adapted for the latitude of the Golden Horn than an island in the North Sea,' observed Mr. Walpole, with a malicious glitter in his eye, as he glanced at her open. vest, wide silken trousers, and girdle which Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (251) chose to wear.

"You seem on your way to a bal masqué, Mr. Walpole," retorted the lady, pointing to the white domino which he carried aside; "the time was, you used to rail at such frivolities. I am glad to see

Senior et melium fis accedente senecta."

I was surprised to hear a lady quote Horace so glibly and with such a correct accent; but Mr. Walpole only smiled and said,

"In common with snakes and some other of the lower animals, I possess that of occasionally casting my slough, whereas your ladyship, dove-like, seems to have but one suit of feathers."

"You must at least admit that they are fine ones. But you men are all the same; you would have us all dressed alike, laced and powdered " ("And washed," I heard Mr. Walpole mutter), "no matter what our

་ ་

As soon as Lady Mary caught sight of him she was off, her Turkish draperies flying behind her.

figures and faces are like. Now I hold | vant," replied the poet stiffly, rolling his
that the woman who can do without stays protruding, watery eyes.
is a fool to wear them. Ah, I remember
what the dear king, when he was Prince of
Wales, used to say about me- but you
and I, Mr. Walpole, have been long
enough about the court to know that the
motto on all palace gates is Hush.''

"Heaven forbid, madam!" ejaculated Mr. Walpole impatiently. "I never was about the court a moment longer than I could help, and never will be." Then, as if to change the subject, "Pray, don't I see his Grace, your father, yonder? I have not remarked his Grace before in our assembly."

"Nay, it is not possible, for by some
strange omission his portrait is not hung."
(I fancied I heard Mr. Walpole mutter
under his breath, "It was a greater omis-
sion not to hang the original," but perhaps
my ears deceived me.) "We poor shades,
you know, can only go where are our pic-
tures. But, indeed, I scarcely regret his
absence; the duke has been little of a
father to me since his unfortunate second
marriage. Monstrous! that a man should
be allowed to marry a chit of a girl
younger than his three married daughters.
Did you ever hear the smart epigram
written about my young stepmother? -

Her beauty, like the Scripture feast,
To which the invited never came,
Deprived of the intended guest,

Was given to the blind and lame."

"Ha, ha! yes, I fancy I have heard them before. But, indeed, I never fail to wonder at the blindness of the man who, once delivered from matrimony, chooses to surrender his liberty a second time. Chi perde moglie e un quattrino, ha gran perdita del quattrino."

"In the present instance," said Lady Mary, bridling," Mr. Walpole speaks with less than his usual courtesy; he surely forgets that the moglie in question was my mother."

"As for humility that we know is your constant failing, my dear sir,” said Mr. Walpole, watching her retreating figure, “and there is no doubt that on this occasion you have done me valuable service. I believe no one but yourself could put a stop to that woman's tongue. Few people can tempt me to rudeness; but there is something in her restlessness, her vanity, her continual innuendo about the prince of Wales's passion for her, her scraps of Latin, and her ridiculous affectation, that makes me forget all breeding."

"The lady seems at least to have this singular gift," sneered Mr. Pope, "that she can make Mr. Walpole speak with absolute sincerity."

So saying the poet passed on, leaving Mr. Walpole somewhat disconcerted. He turned to me with a shade of confusion, and remarked,

"The aid of a common libeller to rid one of a malicious blue-stocking is like encouraging the gout because it keeps other ailments away. Of all the persons of my acquaintance, I think I have just parted with the two I dislike most."

"Yet Lady Mary has left behind her the reputation of a wit," I remarked.

"Oh, I am not surprised," replied Mr. Walpole; "she amuses When they cannot laugh at her sallies some people. they can always laugh at her. But Lady Mary is well informed far better than nine hundred and ninety-nine hundredths of her sex (or, for that matter, ours either) what makes her ridiculous is that she is always straining for admiration. In a young woman, ostentation of learning is endurable, because youth and grace atone for almost anything; but an old woman brandishing her accomplishments in your face only intensifies the unloveliness of "True," he said, "few persons can vie age. Then she is forever imposing her with your ladyship in the happy use herself, which is a common, but deplorcompany upon people far younger than of polyglot quotation. Good-evening, Mr. able, weakness. I suppose no one ever Pope (204), he exclaimed, stopping an carried with him into old age a stronger ugly little man in a bright green cloak and disposition towards the society of young scarlet cap who was hobbling by; "active people than I did; but I had enough saas ever, I see, and with an eye upon every-gacity to perceive that the presence of an body." "Mr. Walpole, your very humble ser- cold air in a parlor - they are never at aged person is to them as a draught of ease till it is shut out."

My companion bit his lip.

Written on Miss Pelham's marriage to Lord Lincoln, these lines occur in a letter of Walpole's to Sir Horace Mann.

"At least you must give Lady Mary the credit of one service to her fellow.

creatures," I persisted, feeling a little displeased at my companion's ill-natured speech; "she introduced inoculation for small-pox, did she not?"

"Ah, my dear sir, you have indeed reminded me of what I should be the last to forget, for no one could understand better the value of that invention. Yes; odious as I must ever regard Lady Mary's character, conduct, and conversation, let it be inscribed to her undying fame that she brought this blessing among our people. When I was young, what a state of society there was. Every man of position drenched his intellect with strong drink, every woman's beauty must run the gauntlet of the most loathsome of all diseases. Thank God! I lived to see a great change in both respects, and half the improvement we owed to Lady Mary's importation. Yes, yes; give the devil his due and Lady Mary hers."

Boswell. "I am sure, sir, you would not so often speak harshly of my country if you could realize how much I love it."

Joh. "Sir, if your country is so worthy of your love, none of us will interfere to prevent you returning to it—and staying there."

Dr. Johnson shook with immoderate laughter at his own joke, screwing up his rugged face and knocking the end of his cane on the floor.

66

Bos. (seeming to relish, rather than to resent, the rebuff). Sir, we recognize in you such unerring judgment and discrimination that it will be the happiest day of my life when I shall convince you that the Scots are a noble race."

Wal. "Pray, sir, is there any difference between judgment and discrimination ?" Bos. "Perhaps as much, sir, as between common sense and wisdom."

Wal. "Then I take it there is not much, for common sense seems to me to be but the retail quantity of the stock in trade wisdom."

Bos. "Possibly sir; but we are rash to interpret terms in the presence of the great lexicographer. Pray, sir, what is your opinion?".

We had been moving during this conversation towards the South Room, where there was a dense throng of figures. I followed Mr. Walpole to where half-adozen men were standing in earnest conversation. They opened out to velcome him, and here I felt indeed that I was with the immortals. A stoutish man (276) with a plain, calm face, and dressed in a Joh. "Why, this, sir; that I have lost russet cloak, first addressed my compan-all idea equally of your judgment or dision. crimination, wisdom or common sense, since you chose to publish one of my letters without my leave."

66

Pray let us have the advantage of your opinion, Mr. Walpole; there is, I am sure, no one better able to give a sound decision on a question of literary taste."

Walpole. "Nay, Sir Joshua; but you are paying me a compliment that I have done nothing to deserve."

Reynolds. Ay, ay; but we have long ago made up our minds on that point. Have we not, gentlemen?"

All expressed ready assent except one man of remarkable appearance (205). He was very stout, his brow and jaws were peculiarly heavy, and the flesh was rolled round his deep-set, twinkling eyes, so as almost to give him the look of blindness. "Sir," he said, "I am always slow to make up my mind, and equally slow to change it."

Rey. "Well, the discussion arose thus: Mr. Boswell (313) expressed admiration for the poetry of Allan Ramsay, in which Dr. Johnson could not agree. Now Mr. Boswell very happily quoted some lines which seemed to me greatly to the credit of the poet."

Johnson. "Yes, sir, because he was a Scotchman; but they would not do credit to any one else."

Bos. "Pray, sir, consider how strong was the temptation."

Joh. "Sir, some characters are so weak that they find every temptation too strong.'

I felt quite sorry for poor Mr. Boswell, who persevered with singular ill success to restore his learned friend to good humor, and cut a very sorry figure in the attempt. Yet he seemed actually to enjoy it, looking round for our approbation at each new sally of Johnson's, and I observed that from time to time he made pencil notes in a small book he carried.

Bos. "I am sorry we cannot conclude our discussion on Allan Ramsay's poetry, for here, I see, comes his son and namesake (260), the painter. Permit me to recall you to the subject of our conversation last night, the advantage of country over town life."

Joh. "Sir, I will waste none of my time in discussing paradox. Let's have no more on't; it is neither entertaining nor instructive."

Bos. "Relatively, perhaps, rural life is not so satisfying as life in the city; bu

abstractedly, I am convinced that it is
preferable."

Joh. "Sir, I once knew a man who
always wore a night-cap instead of a wig;
abstractedly, the night-cap was the better
head-gear, but relatively it was the worse;
for when he would go abroad, the boys
ran after him and hooted him."

cheery voice behind us, "you keep excellent company, I am happy to see.'

Turning round, we saw a gentleman (33) in dark blue, with the ribbon and star of the Bath, with a pleasant jovial expression on his face, and leaning on the arm of one (32) wearing a grey wig and a crimson coat, with ribbon and star of the Garter.

"Sir, I am delighted to see you are in good health," said Mr. Walpole, with a respectful bow to the first; then, with another bow to him in crimson, "my Lord Chesterfield, your most obedient servant.'

Bos. "Well, sir, many a time I was in the humor to spend my life in the desert." Joh. "Sir, none of your friends would have hindered your spending it in your native land, and there, an it pleased you, you might have laid aside both wig and "Ha, Horace! I notice you cannot for night-cap and donned a fool's cap." get the conventionalities of our old world,' Rey. "I see you cannot forgive the replied he whom I recognized as Sir Rob. Scotch, sir. At least they have one merit, ert Walpole, the father of my cicerone. they produce good gardeners.' "Health -egad! I am tempted to wish Joh. "Yes, sir, because in that wretch-sometimes for a twinge of gout, to delude ed climate nothing grows spontaneously. Even barley must_be_sown in a greenhouse. Come, sir [to Boswell], let us be gone; I see one coming in whose company I am in no mind to be, still less to be exhibited by him as a laughing-stock on the stage."

I followed his glance and beheld one approaching dressed in a white coat and yellow waistcoat (235). Mr. Walpole explained to me that this was Mr. Foote, the actor, "the only man for whom that bear is terrified."

"Nay, sir," remarked one who had hitherto been silent, whom I recognized as Mr. Oliver Goldsmith (211), "you do him injustice; that man has nothing of the bear but his hide."

Rey. "Well said, old friend! I would rather leave my character in your kindly keeping than with any one else of my acquaintance."

Wal. "I am not so amiable, gentlemen; I recognize the manners and the voice of the charming animal as well as the bide."

Goldsmith. "Surely, Mr. Walpole, you cannot be blind to his excellent sense and charitable disposition."

Wal. "I admit them freely, sir; but that is no reason that his brutalities should be hailed as bons mots, or that one who has all the bigotry of a washerwoman should be hailed as a philosopher."

Gold. "It is a good sign of his nature that his friends are infinitely attached to him."

Wal. "'Tis to be regretted he does not make a better choice of them. That unhappy Scotchman fawns like a spaniel the more he is belabored, and absolutely revels on the ill-nature of his patron.'

66

Ah, Horace, my boy!" rang out a

me into the idea that I still possess flesh and bones. Look you, you dog! there are half a score of fine ladies hunting for you in the other room; your niece, the Duchess of Gloucester, especially commands your presence."

"I will wait upon her Royal Highness without delay, sir," replied Mr. Walpole.

Lord Chesterfield turned his somewhat harsh face full upon the last speaker, with a kind of wistful look in his dark eyes, and, after gazing in silence for a moment, said,

"Young sir, forgive what might be impertinence in one nearer your own age. You possess that charm of manner which, it seems to me, the new generation disdain to cultivate."

"I can only account for it," Mr. Walpole answered, with a frank smile, "by the fact that I have studied to acquire the good breeding of my father and his friends."

Lord Chesterfield sighed; Sir Robert gave us a careless nod, and as they moved on Mr. Walpole led me swiftly towards the West Gallery, wherein the royal personages were holding court. Was it possible, thought I to myself, that this rubicund, burly country gentleman was really the father of the sallow, dark-eyed, slightly limbed creature by my side.* Never was there such a slight cast on the doctrine of heredity. Mr. Walpole seemed to divine my thoughts, for bending a penetrating glance upon me, he said,

"My father's exterior and mine are not very similar, are they? We resemble each other in this, at least, that I have carried into practice in private life the motto which continually ensured the success of

It was currently believed that Horace Walpole really owed his existence to Carr, Lord Hervey.