late either to herself or Clarence. I foresee that I shall be exposed to all sorts of annoyances by this foolish history. It would not surprise me to receive a letter in the course of the day from Lady Mardynville, asking me to stand godmother to her next child!

How the season brightens! I expected that by this time my gayeties would a little relax; instead of which, this morning has brought cards for four balls, two breakfasts, and a fête costumée. Dissipation seems to grow with what it feeds on; and, now the intoxication of pleasure has become fairly epidemic, all calcu lation, all moderation, is thrown aside. No one has a moment for reflection. The vigils of the ball over, night leave one scarcely time to dress in the morning for the business of the day, viz., visits and the park. Then another toilet, and a dinner-party; then another, and more balls. The sound of an orchestra is perpetually in one's ears; and full dress so habitual that I shall scarcely know myself again in "white linen." I should like a week's quiet, and then a recommencement. The six months' quiet which really will follow all this stir and sparkling, does not seem altogether so desirable. I am now so accustomed to live in a crowd, that I dread "the clock and crickets," which sound so loud in the stillness of a dull home.

Saturday.-Verily, I have my revenge for the insolent, sneering bow with which George Hanton passed me the other day in the park; and which was intended less for me than for Lord Lancaster and Sir Jervis Hall, with whom he was riding; ample revenge! Yesterday, as I was on a variety visit to Mrs. Hemstitch (the mantuamaker who formerly read me such a lecture on fine-ladyism), I met on the stairs a fine lad of about fifteen, his eyes swollen out of his head with crying. As the good woman happened to be alone, I asked her, indiscreetly enough, whether the youth was her son, and what was the cause of his tribulation.

“My sons, madam, are at decent schools, and, I trust, in decent clothing," said she, proudly. "If you had examined that poor lad, you would have perceived him to be almost in rags. He is in affliction for his father, who is dying in one of my attics."

"Do you let lodgings ?" said I, as inconsiderately as before.

"No, madam; I simply afford a miserable refuge to an indigent family.-Have you any orders for me this morning."

Pray forgive me if I have offended you," I persisted: "but you have now excited my interest. Are these poor people in a situation to which I can afford any→ any alleviation ?"

"If you mean in the way of charity, I believe, madam, that the most trifling sum would be highly acceptable. I am working for a large family of my own, and, consequently, unable to do much for them. I provide them with food and medicine, but the poor old gentleman will soon require a funeral. It ought to be a decent one, for he is a clergyman of the Church of England.”

As she perceived by my countenance that I was now deeply interested, I persuaded her to relate the whole melancholy history. The dying man, it seems, served for many years the curacy of her native place, and eked out a small salary by taking pupils. The state of the times, sickness in his family, and, at length, a paralytie attack, threw him into distress. He was obliged to leave his cure; and, from trouble to trouble, became an inmate of the Fleet prison.

"At the commencement of poor Mr. Forster's distresses, madam," said Mrs. Hemstitch, addressing me, "I took his daughter to learn my business; a very excellent, intelligent girl, much beloved in my establishment. The debt for which her father was taken up was a small one; and she was in hopes that one or other of his former pupils would release him. I even wrote a letter for her to one of them (a rich gentleman, of the name of Hanton), stating the circumstances. He refused, however; saying, that he did not consider it his business to repair the improvidence of others; at last, the sum was made up among my young people. With my husband's leave, I took in the poor gentleman and his son, who were totally destitute; and for eight months past they have been my inmates. The lad is a fine, well-taught, scholarly lad, and might make his way in the world if any one would lend him a helping hand. Many and many a lady among my customers might, with a single word, place him in a situation to earn a livelihood. But one or two to whom I presumed to apply, and who can be courteous enough when they are anxious to have a dress finished by a particular hour,

or the sending in of their bill postponed, answered me so harshly that I was discouraged. I was stupid enough, however, to write again to Mr. George Hanton in favour of the lad, who is his godson: and he offered to employ him in his stables! Employ the son of his gray-headed tutor in his stables!-when, as Caroline Forster said, her father and mother had sat up with him night after night, when he was a sickly youth; and, for all he knows in the world, he is indebted to the labours of the poor curate. Such, madam, is the great world! -Have you any orders for me this morning?"

My orders, of course, regarded the Forster family. Thank Heaven, I have now an honest excuse to myself for the contempt with which I have always regarded George Hanton.

-So-half a dozen letters of congratulation on my approaching marriage to Lord Penrhyn! It is easy to write and contradict the report; but I am beginning to feel seriously annoyed by the predicament in which I am placed. I learn from the newspapers that the late lord is to be conveyed to-morrow to the family vault; after which, I conclude, my lord will make his reappearance in public, and, of course, save me the trouble of further vindication. Considering the intimate terms on which we stand, perhaps it would be better if I at once frankly alluded to the report. He might, however, imagine it a ruse to bring on a proposal-men are such coxcombs. There lives not the one to whom I would again sacrifice myself in marriage; or I, at least, have not at present the honour of his acquaintance.

As

If the affairs of Cupid do not flourish in my establishment, I suspect they are proceeding with much alacrity chez mes voisines. Signor Bravura's cabriolet is no longer the only one stationed at the door of Mr. Gresham Ronsham. From twelve o'clock till three, a vehicle of that flash-dandy description which makes one suspect it to be hired for the season, is in constant attendance. soon as the family coach rumbles off on its daily round of visitationing and park-grinding, off gallops the cabriolet, as never well-bred cabriolet was heard to gallop; and at seven o'clock, so soon as the well-inhabited quarters of the town begin to send forth fumes of soup and patties, back gallops it again; and a hero, with well-died whiskers and mustaches, and well-varnished shoes, leaps out, leaps in, and the ding-dong of the din

ner-bell commences. When I return home at night from a party, if lights are still burning in the drawingroom of the Gresham Ronshams, the galloping horse is sure to be pawing impatiently at the Gresham Ronshams' door; strong symptoms of a courtship in the family! and, from a little feverish, anxious patch of red on the cheek of the second daughter, I suspect Miss Augusta to be the favoured Dulcinea. I must inquire of Lady Farrington; and, as I never find a syllable to say to her when we meet, the subject will be a trouvaille.

-How good, how very good of him! I mentioned the story of the Forster family to Herbert, with the view of procuring his advice and assistance in disposing of the poor boy, when released from attendance on his father; and my brother-in-law promised to think the matter over, and in a week let me know the result of his cogitations.

To-day I went to Mrs. Hemstitch, ostensibly to order a gown, but in reality to learn the state of the old man, without the ostentation of playing the benefactress. I did not intend to proceed immediately to the subject, the good woman is so blunt and strange! But the moment she could get rid of the dowager Dutchess of Hampshire, who was trying to persuade her to make a dress with seven breadths out of eight yards of Sewell and Cross's cheap narrow satin, she hurried to me with a face so radiant with joy, and such a profusion of thanks, that I hardly knew what to make of her.

"Such a provision! such a windfall! so much above the poor boy's expectations-though certainly not above his deserts. I am sure, madam, I am as grateful as if it were a son of my own. As to poor Caroline Forster," she has been crying for joy all night, and the old gentleman seems quite revived. He wants to get up and be dressed, but the apothecary has forbid it."

By degrees, I obtained an explanation. Yesterday morning, George Forster was sent for to Lord Hartston's office in Whitehall, and examined for two hours by the secretary, as to his proficiency in writing, accounts, and summing up abstracts. He was desired to return at six o'clock, when he had an interview with Lord Hartston himself, and the welcome intelligence that he was appointed to a clerkship of seventy pounds a year, in an office holding out prospects of advancement. "Your salary will commence from this day," said his

lordship; "your duties, when I find it expedient to give you notice. At present they will be performed by a young man attached to my own establishment."

How I long to thank him for the considerateness with which he has performed this benevolent action! But I keep stern guard over myself; and will not be betrayed by my feelings into what he may fancy an attempt to deprecate the ill opinion he has formed of me. Meanwhile, libre à moi to feel as grateful as I please.

-Among the few persons in society whom I really dislike, are Lord Lancaster's mother and sisters. They are all three handsome and clever; but steeped to the lips in persuasion of their own superiority. They have instituted themselves sole priestesses of the temple of fashion; and such pretensions render them at once uneasy and disagreeable. They cannot at all times secure the worship of a foreign prince or a Duke of Merioneth; and to the lesser great they are so uncertain, so supercilious, that nothing can exceed their unpopularity. The inaffability of the two girls is already beginning to assume a pinched, soured, discontented turn of countenance, which has made them old before their time. I meet these people frequently at the duke's, at Lady Clackmannan's, and other select places, but have been careful to avoid seeming to seek their acquaintance; for they have a way of fixing upon one a stony, unrecognising look, intended to mark the most pre-eminent contempt.

To-day, to my great amazement, as I was writing notes in my drawing-room," Mrs. Percy and Lady Maria Lancaster" were announced; and, without any further attempt at introduction, I received from the latter a very gracious courtesy. I could by no means understand the visit: for Mrs. Percy has scarcely made her appearance here for the last month; or, to speak more correctly, from the time Lord Penrhyn began to pay me attention.

"Is not this a pretty house?" said Mrs. Percy, ad. dressing her companion as soon as they were seated. Lady Maria raised her eyeglass, glanced round the room, and muttered a scarcely intelligible—" Very!” "Quite like one of Giroux's baby-houses!" Another glance, and another faint "Very!" "One longs to put it all under a glass shade." Another glance-no answer.