most puissantly of the chief personage concerned in it, if I had not (on certain previous occasions) enjoyed the advantage of his acquaintance.

as a last card against bringing in his bill, and giving up his agency. It was the borough of Medhurst, it seems, that formed the grand link between my late grandfather and the people at the castle. He always gave up the parliament

Audience to Mrs Glasse-" Forty years in the family!"-" Hoped my Honour's breakfast had given my Honour satisfaction." She must die, I suppose, at Monckton, and be buried at my cost.

Audience to my Steward-at break fast and told him I was satisfied with his way of doing things. He had a desire, I saw, to fall at my feet, but doubted whether it might not be taken as a liberty.

Visit from Mr Dupuis ;-thought he seemed rather a scoundrel, and went through all his accounts at one sitting!-Cost me seven hours, but completely took down the gentleman's importance. Concluded by making him commit several valuable documents to my own iron chest ; and ordered his bill (convinced he'd never live to make it out) for "the morning of the 27th."

Day following, full of business. Opened letters from all the tradesmen within ten miles, craving "orders." Before dinner, made a progress through my whole estate, and went through the ceremonies (legal) of taking possession. Rode my grey horse again, who neighed furiously, bringing every body out of doors at every fresh house or stable he came near. Going home -all the people about quite deafened with this outcry, met one of the junior Beauvoirs, on horseback, in a lane. At the sight of whom, le dit Rabican gave such a ferocious neigh, rearing and plunging at the same time, as if for battle, that the Captain's hunter bolted into the hedge, and had nearly overthrown him. I moved slightly, looking at Dupuis-who was riding in great bodily fear, as far as he might from me and the compliment was (quite as slightly) returned.

But I had a hold all this while (of which I knew nothing) upon the heart of the Beauvoir family; and it procured me the unhoped-for honour of a visit from Sir Walter, almost before I became aware of its existence.

Dupuis let me into the fact first

pected of carrying a majority. Major Beauvoir sits for Medhurst; Sir Walter is one of the members for the county. I was to have been played upon by these good folks as they pleased, and slighted as they pleased into the bargain. But my businesslike movements have struck them with alarm. A general election approaches, and, though they are rich, they must not lose Medhurst. I am a beast, instead of (what they hoped to find me) a fool; but my beneficial leases are dangerous. And so-though the Beauvoirs are "select,"-down came Sir Walter, to trim between his pride and his necessity.

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It was really pitiful to see the poor old buzzard, who, you know, is high and mighty, compelled to communicate with a wretch, who would have no notion of anybody's being high and mighty at all. First, he had a sort of hope left that I was an ass, and that he might cheat me out of what he wanted, instead of purchasing it. Then, got out of patience at my obstinate formality; but still was sure that any direct overture towards intimacy from him, would remove it. At last, in the midst of the creature's doubt whether he would be friends, he suddenly happened to doubt whether I would; on which the quibbling was dropped in alarm, and nothing thought of but carrying the point. And so, two hours after Mr Dupuis had told me this long election story," in confidence,"-a confidence to which I just trusted so far, as not to give him the slightest hint how I meant to act upon it in return, though I was a "roughrider," and had a horse that "neighed," I received a morning call from Sir Walter, which ended (sorely against his will) in an invitation to dine at Beauvoir castle.

If I could make head against the world when I was naked and pennyless, I can hardly fear to do so now. You know me, and know how I value the opinion of such people as these; but they are still members of a party, that in some way or other must be dealt with. I shall have to fight my

passage, against something perhaps of prejudice, into certain circles to which a man of fortune should have admission. As the first goose might cackle, ten to one the whole flock would follow. This Beauvoir bidding was an opportunity to begin the struggle with advantage.

I rode to the castle on horseback, (this took place yesterday,) and arrived as nearly as possible at the last moment; having declined using one of Sir Walter's carriages, " until my own could be put in order." From the very entry of the avenue, I saw what was to be my reception,-the evening was tempting, but the windows and balconies were deserted. The" having me" was evidently an infliction.' -I'll try if I can't teach some of the family what "infliction" is.

"

Dinner was instantaneous,-(as I had hoped,)-so sparing me an inconvenient preliminary ten minutes in the drawing-room. The party quite private, in order that the open avowal of me might still be got rid of, if possible. We had Sir Walter, pompous, but rather fidgetty. We had Lady B., well-bred enough, and not very ill-natured. The two Misses Beauvoirs, looking most determinately "nothing less than nobility approaches Kitty!" Major B., the gentleman who "sits;" Captain B., the gentleman whom I nearly overthrew; the gouvernante of the young ladies; and the parson of the parish.

This was the " bore" party,-evidently premeditated; everything was conducted" in a concatenation," as Goldsmith has it," accordingly." I was meant-transparently-to be a "lost monster" within the first five minutes; and yet I never enjoyed an entertainment so much, I think, in my life. It is so delicious a role to play and, withal, so easy-when a man is desirous only of being disagreeable! And when I reflected that these lunatic creatures, who really stood personally within the scope of my danger these "splacknucks," into whose house I would have hired myself as their footman, and, in twelve months, have ruled it as their lord-that they, who were absolutely suitors to me for a boon, and over my prospects, or possessions, could have no breath of influence, that they should be so mad as to desire to distress me, and hope by exhibiting a few common grimaces to

succeed!-the thing, so far from supplying a cause of annoyance, was, as you must perceive, unboundedly jocose and entertaining.

We had the stale farce of silent hauteur played off; and a few more modern airs in the peculiarities of eating and drinking. The Misses B. were prodigious in the arrangements of their salad. The Captain-he is of " the Guards"-ate fish with his fingers. But, for the ton, I had carte blanche, as being a foreigner; and, for the si lence, you don't very easily awe any man where he feels that circumstances make him your master. I talked, if no one else did; and he who talks prepense, may even "talk" with safety. With Sir Walter Beauvoir, I spoke of property and interests, in a way that made him very anxiously attend to me. The Captain I addressed once, (in reply,) and that in a tone just more steady, the twentieth part of a note, than I had been using with his father, a word more, and I would have apologized for his ill horsemanship on the preceding day. The Misses Beauvoir I took wine with, and would not see that they were fair and inexorable. To Lady B. I ventured a few words, just to shew that I could behave decently, if it was my cue to do so. But it was with the Major -the member for Medhurst (that has been)-the gentleman for whose immediate convenience my presence was submitted to; it was with him that my high fortune lay; and the gain was greater than I could have even hoped for.

The Major, I believe, is a person that you have no acquaintance with ?— I knew something of him, and disliked him, when we both were lads. He had then-allowing for my prejudices-the qualities which compose a brute; but has now acquired cunning enough, in some degree, to conceal them. His early familiarities were with watch-houses; his exploits, the beating of hackney-coachmen, and dandy linen-drapers at Vauxhall. You may recollect the fact, perhaps, of his exchanging out of the Fusileers, at Cheltenham, for having put a tailor (who asked for money, I believe) into the fire?

The man either was troublesome, or his creditors wanted amusement; but he was ordered, I know, to come for payment to a house at which

three or four gentlemen were dining; the whole party then made a very facetious assault upon him, in consequence of which Ensign B had to quit his regiment; and the relatives of the other offenders paid near two thousand pounds to avoid the disgrace of the matter coming into Court. Those times are over. Men grow more prudent, if not more honest, as they increase in age. And my friend the Major's rank and associations have made him a man of fashion ; but still he is one of those men, whom, at first sight, you would dislike. There are a description of persons, as we all find out sometimes, whom you can hardly meet, even in the stage-coach, without looking for a quarrel with them. The slightest degree of intercourse seems to make the event quite certain; and, feeling that, you desperately think that the sooner it happens, and is over, the better. I remember once sitting in the same coffee-room with a man whose deportment absolutely fascinated me. Not a word had passed be tween us; and yet I felt that I must either instantly insult him, or leave the apartment. Major Beauvoir's

manner yesterday, at our re-introduction, was a curious illustration of the ungovernableness of this particular faculty it was decidedly repelling, (though not sufficiently so to call for notice,) while, from what followed, I have no doubt that it was meant to be conciliatory.

For he has the infirmity upon him, (this gentleman,) among others, of being easily affected by wine; and the spirit of play, which also constantly attends him, had caught a scent of my ready money. The exposure that followed was good enough to have been bought by encouragement; but his monstrous folly made even encouragement unnecessary. A wild extravagance keeps him constantly poor; and he has not brains enough to make him timid; for, take successful speculators, with the odds ten to one against them generally, and you will find them coarse-minded, obtuse men-acute intellect would see too clearly the chance of overthrow. In spite of all Sir Walter's exertion, after the first eight glasses, my mere listening became sufficient to draw him out. First, he adverted to the circumstance of our former acquaintance, and drew on vali

antly, though I made him pull me all the way. Then we talked of the country-of horses (his and my own) and hunting-my share in the discussion going little beyond monosyllables. From thence it came to arrangements for town, (whither the Major himself was forthwith returning;) and clubs matches-bets-introductions-all the circumstances of currency which I wanted, (the command of,) I was enabled politely, but without the slightest acknowledgment, to decline. At length I rose to take my leave, accompanied to the last possible moment of conversation by Sir Walter, who saw his son's failure with obvious horror, although the ingenious gentleman himself never suspected it. We descended the great staircase, with solemn deprecation on my part, and immense, though not very happily managed, conciliation on his. But just as the august personage was expressing his hope, under great ardent suffering, that he should early have the pleasure to see me again at Beauvoir Castle, when perhaps something might be suggested, with respect to certain political arrangements, which might operate to the mutual conveniences, and, indeed, advantage, of both our families-just as he got to this point, we reached the lower hall, and my grey horse, who was in waiting, uttered a most extra hyæna-like, and demoniacal neigh. This strange interruption-(which was produced, I believe, by the hearing my voice)—and at such a juncture too!-disconcerted him completely. He stopped-gulped

recollected himself-doubted whether to piece his discourse, or begin over again. In the end, the poor Baronet stammered out a parting compliment, even worse turned than that which Monsieur Rabican had broken in upon; and I returned home a personage decidedly more hateful to the Beauvoir family than ever, but completely relieved from all anxiety about my reception-as a potentate of the vicinity-in future; and as an object of detestation with the worthy folks, you know, of necessity, an object, if not of terror, of respect.

This, I think, is as it should be. I am feted by these people, and will be farther so; and, when they have gone through the abomination of getting my interest, they shall find that

they have lost it. But that they are clumsy impostors, and deserve no such lenity, I could end their anxiety in a word; for, if I really have a majority in the borough, I think I shall sit for it myself. You laugh-but I can't come back to the army, after six years' desertion, to face your Waterloo reputation upon a "lady peace" establishment. And a seat in Parliament gives a man a semblance of pursuits in life, which (where no trouble attaches) is convenient. You will come over to my election, (if I find I can command the place,) and help to eat the bad dinners, and kiss the people's wives. Drop no word, however, I charge you, in the interim; because I must bamboozle these coxcombs, who meant to bamboozle me. The hook is in their mouths, and I shall be able to keep them on, without giving either a reasonable expectation. The moment they ask my decision, I shall give it against them; and yet, before them, I will have gained all they sought to withhold from me. This is not a world, Robert, in which a man can live by the use of candour, or of liberal principle; and he who is wise will fall into its spirit, and acquire a taste for hollow-heartedness and selfish feeling. To have one's "opinions" always flying out against those of everybody else one's heart pinned upon one's sleeve-is it not to fight too much at a disadvantage? And may there not be some whim in shaking hands with a man very cordially, when you know he means to do you a mortal injury, and when you have digged

a countermine, (in the way of surprise,) which, in five minutes, is to blow him to the moon! When I was poor, who ever behaved even fairly to me? And is it not monstrous vanity to expect that I now should behave disinterestedly to those I love not?

Farewell till we meet, which I hope will not be many days; but I must (with the kind aid of Sir W. Beauvoir) stamp my credit in the right way, before I go-here-in Glostershire. I have got a touch, you see, of the true moneyed feeling already-letting policy detain me in one place, when inclination would carry me to another.

Fare you well once more, until we shake hands; which, with you, I would not do, unless I did it honestly. I shall be in town, I believe, by the 28th; and a Lieutenant-Colonel, I am sure, can leave a regiment at any time. As a proof that (for my part) we are still upon the same terms that we used to be-ask your father if he will "present" me. I could make old Sir Walter here, I have no doubt, submit to the duty, (and, in case I go to the continent, it may be convenient to me to get this done ;) but I would not have him able to say that I ever hoaxed him out of any politeness worth a moment's consideration. Besides, I know enough of your father, to believe that he will feel no hesitation in obliging me; and I write to shew you that I can ask a favour from a friend, when it is such a favour as may be conferred by one gentleman upon another.

THE DEVIL'S ELIXIR is, we think, upon the whole, our chief favourite ainong the numerous works of a man of rare and singular genius. It contains in itself the germ of many of his other performances; and one particular idea, in which, more than any other, he, as a romancer, delighted, has been repeated by him in many various shapes, but never with half the power and effect in which it has been elaborated here. This idea is, to be sure, exactly what the minor English cri

tics will think they say quite enough of, when they pronounce it ore rotundo, a vile German idea. No matter, whatever these gentry may say, for as to thinking-of that they are tolerably guiltless whatever small men, accustomed to move in one very small sphere of intellect, may say, the horrible is quite as legitimate a field of poetry and romance, as either the pathetic or the ludicrous. It is absurdity to say that Mrs Radcliffe has exhausted this. That very clever lady