fast, he was seated powdered, perfumed, and polished up to the highest degree of lustre, displaying his fine teeth and white hands to the greatest advantage, and hoping most fervently that this young and beautiful stranger was admiring him; when, just as Mrs. Hargrave had completed the sentence" Doctor Sydenham is the greatest flirt in the world," Celestina's immense parrot suddenly flew from his perch, and alit upon Mr. Bloomer's head, and, with a horrible, discordant imitation of laughter, began to flap his wings with all his might, covering the whole tea equipage, and filling the surrounding air with clouds of perfumed powder.

Nothing could exceed the rage of Mr. Bloomer, except the boisterous mirth of Celestina, whose shouts of laughter and hooting, at the universally-powdered coxcomb, only increased Poll's din and exercise. Doctor Hargrave, jumping up, seized the parrot, to extricate his friend; but Poll, either from obstinacy or liking the sport, set her beak fast in Mr. Bloomer's hair, and maintained her ground. Doctor Hargrave was compelled to his utmost exertions to drag Poll from the head, which he would

not loosen his hold of, but dragged too a peruke off, and left the bald-pated beau an absolute friar, with only a tonsure round his face.

Mr. Bloomer had not temper to bear such an unexpected mortification: he aimed at instant retreat, but treading upon one of the puppies, a dreadful yelping succeeded, which brought Celestina to its aid, who having taken the wig from Poll, now, in a rage, slapped it in Mr. Bloomer's face. Doctor Hargrave attempted to apologize, but the now-insulted beau not deigning to hear a word, precipitately retreated from the room, and, as soon as possible, left the house.

"You should, Celestina, my love," said doctor Hargrave, as with lofty composure he was returning to his seat, after Mr. Bloomer haughtily refused to hear his offered apology-" you should contrive to make your favourites less annoying, and more amenable to command."

"Not I, indeed, pa," replied Miss Hargrave, saucily; "and those who don't like my favourites as they are, need not come to the house. As for that old vamped-up thing, he may go to the d-1 and shake himself."

"Hell and furies !" exclaimed doctor Hargrave, at this moment observing one of

the puppies busily employed in tearing a manuscript pamphlet-" my exquisitelywritten French Revolution, which I had only completed this very morning!" And now, with passion far exceeding Mr. Bloomer's, he kicked the puppy with violence to the other end of the room, and with savage rage shook his daughter by the arm, and ordered her instantly to quit his presence"And he would take care," he vociferated, "to have the necks wrung off her infernal plagues!"

Miss Hargrave set up a hideous yell of crying, and peremptorily declared, she would not leave the room.

"Sir," said Charles, timidly, "the manuscript I saw you correcting before breakfast is now lying behind the cushion of the sofa, where you left it; and this the dog has unfortunately torn," picking up some of the fragments" this was a sermon, I believeoh, dear me! and, I am afraid, upon the Resurrection!"

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“Thank Heaven, it was nothing of consequence!" cried doctor Hargrave, running to the sofa. Ay, you are right, Charles-my treasure is safe! Really, really I am quite shocked to have appeared

in such a pet; but you can feel for me, Sydenham. Authors, you know, have quick feelings are ever tenderly alive to the fate of the offspring of their invention:" and doctor Hargrave attempted to smile.

"Ay," said doctor Sydenham, "the head of an author, as well as a beau, is his hobbyhorse; and we must forgive their being a little disconcerted, if any foe should attack either the head or the offspring with hostilities."

Doctor Hargrave, feeling a little too silly to succeed in the smile he still aimed at, now called his bellowing daughter to him. -"Come hither, Celestina, my dear love! -come hither, and kiss me. I am sincerely sorry my mistaking what your favourite had torn, should lead me to rebuke you.Come, love, kiss and be friends."

shall

"Never do you believe that," replied Mis Hargrave, sullenly. "Don't think you break my head, and give me a plaster!"

"Well!" said her father, "I shall not at present contest the point with you-I shall wait until your judgment is unbiassed by indignation; and then, I know, your reason will lead you to my arms." And now, feeling himself particularly pleased

with Charles, for having proved the herald of joyful tidings to him, doctor Hargrave suddenly addressed Mrs. Goodwin.—“ Really, madam, your son is a vastly fine youth. I was much pleased with his conduct yesterday, at table—it was so truly gentlemanly. He carved with so much ease and dexterity -was so unobtrusively polite--so attentive to the ladies near him, without servility or officiousness, that I was infinitely charmed with him; and I am sure his appearance and manners are such, he will rapidly make his way in India-But pray, Mrs. Goodwin, may I ask, at whose table Charles learned such a gentlemanly deportment ?"

"At his father's, sir," replied Mrs. Goodwin, with dignity, softened by the natural sweetness of her disposition.

At this moment the door was thrown open, "lord Gaythorn" announced; and a very tall, genteel-looking, elderly man, with a countenance of such undaunted boldness, that no woman of delicacy could behold him without disgust, entered, darted up to Mrs. Hargrave, and taking her hand with much familiarity, expressed his happiness at seeing her look so lovely. And now the rector contrived to obtrude upon the notice of his