"And you are perfectly happy?"

“Perfectly.”

"I really believe it," continued the host, "and if I might say such an ill-bred thing, if I were not Tremaine, I would be Careless."

"And if I were not Careless, I would be Tremaine," said Jack ;—“ that is”—after a pause, “provided you dined at four, and drank port.”

"Oh! I dare say, when you began, you would have several other provisos."

"Why yes! observed Jack, looking round; I would not let this old hall be so thinly inhabited.” Why, what would you do?"

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"I would marry Miss Evelyn," said Jack abruptly. Tremaine was half choked.

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Jack.

Marry, and keep good fellowship,” continued

"I am too old, by your own account,' observed Tremaine with emotion.

"That was as a poor man; but with your

fortune!"

Tremaine looked grave, and a cloud shot across his brow. But he proceeded, "why even with my fortune, I fear—”

"Fear!" cried Careless, "pshaw! faint heart never won fair lady,' or as we used to say out of the Grammar, fortuna favet fortibus. But talking of fortune, my good friend, will you now allow me

to tell

you

what made me beat up your quarters so soon this morning?"

"It is time, I think," said Tremaine; "I had hoped it was because you had the same pleasure in coming to see me, as I had in receiving you."

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Why, yes! certainly that was one reason, answered Careless," but I own I had another.”

He then told him a story of distress, which as he himself was mixt up in it in a manner very much to his own credit, he explained not very perspicuously; but the result, as Tremaine gathered, was this:-That a neighbouring squire of immense estate, and very dissolute life, infamous withal for having ruined several young women, had let out to him his designs upon a tenant's daughter of great beauty and little prudence; that he (Careless) had warned the father of it, who, though deeply in debt to his landlord for rent, had forbidden him the house, and kept his daughter out of sight; that the squire had notwithstanding contrived to elope with the daughter on foot, who before she had gone half a mile had repented, and while struggling to get free, was met by Careless; that much roughness, amounting to something very like blows, had passed between him and the spoiler, who however was forced to forego his prize, whom Careless restored to her father; and in revenge, the father had been ruined, by the seizure of every thing he had. A

threatened duel awaited Careless, who at the same time said he did not think the fellow had pluck enough to go through with it: he was only indignant, that an injured man should be ruined, merely because the injury was not so great as had been intended.

"Thank God, however," exclaimed Careless, rubbing his hands, "I have been lucky for these poor people: the debt is above a hundred pounds, but I have already got above fifty. Dr. Evelyn gave me ten guineas, and my dear Georgy three; and to tell the truth this is one reason for you my visit to Lord Bellenden, where I know I may count upon at least twenty more; and here I own," added he, after a pause, and looking at the end of his whip, which he kept twirling on the ground, "I own all the folly of never, in my circumstances, having taken to any trade or profession. I have, by my idleness, deprived myself of all power to help these poor devils, except by turning beggar for them myself."

He blushed as he spoke the words, but it was the blush of virtue, as well as of shame. Tremaine was penetrated; his heart was of kindred with the best, when called upon to act, and his indignation at an injury recited was ever ready to boil over. All the eloquence in the world could not have produced a more instantaneous effect than the simple

narration of Careless, to whom he warmed as to a brother. Squeezing him therefore by the hand, he begged, if that were all, that he would give up his visit to Lord Bellenden, as he would himself cheerfully pay the balance of the farmer's debt. "And if the oppressor put his threat into execution, I shall think myself honoured," added Tremaine, "in attending you to the field.”

"Why, as to the first, I will take twenty guineas, if you please," said Jack;" and as to the last, I am for ever bound to you, and it is spoke like true Yorkshire. But I fancy Squire Brown (who, by the way, I am glad to find has nothing of Yorkshire in him, but springs from a stocking-maker at Nottingham), will never court another meeting: the rascal has tasted a little crab-stick already, and as it is four days ago, I fancy he is in no humour to covet any thing else."

"But my Lord Bellenden," said Tremaine.

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My dear friend," returned Jack, "the lad will never hook a pike as long as he lives, unless I go over to him: so thank you a thousand times, and pray give me leave to order Lightfoot."

The bell rang; the horse was brought; and Tremaine was left alone, thoughtful, occupied, and affected: and let us add, less displeased than usual with himself, and with all the world.

CHAP. XXXII.

SELF-EXAMINATION.

"Pacing the forest

"Chewing the cud of sweet and bitter fancy."

SHAKSPEARE.

“It is certain," said he, as he walked through the garden door towards the terrace," that useful lessons may be gathered from small things. Who would have thought that this uninformed, untravelled, rough diamond, would furnish food even for Socrates!"

It was not that Tremaine thought himself Socrates; but he wished that Socrates could have had a Careless for a subject, in his reasoning upon human nature.

"He would have given a rare lecture upon it," said Tremaine, pacing the terrace.

The meditation continued some time, when he began to be clouded, by asking himself the important question, whether, with all his attainments, riches, and personal consequence, Jack was not the happier being of the two..

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