best chance of getting on in life; and therefore, that you have as good a prospect of getting on, by living at home and reading your Bible, and teaching poor people, as those have who go to court. But what does experience say, Master Milner? What does experience say? as I tell my Edgar. We must not fly in the face of the world.' But, Henry, the way that you stole upon me just now, proves to me that Dr. Matthews's judgment of you was correct-perfectly so. In his letter to Mr. Dalben, he said, that under an extraordinarily, simple, child-like, innocent, and, he was pleased to say, beautiful countenance, you concealed a deep thinking, clear, and more than commonly powerful intellect."

"Did he say that," said Henry, blushing, and thrown off his guard by this high encomium, proceeding from so unexpected a quarter. He had believed himself to have been almost overlooked by Dr. Matthews, and to find himself thus appreciated by him was what he had not hoped for; and although Mrs. Bonville's words went for little with him, yet, upon reflection, he remembered many circumstances, which my reader may also remember, connected with the reading of Dr. Matthews's letter, which all tended to prove that the letter had run in so high a strain of panegyric, that good Mr. Dalben had judged it best for him

PART 111.

E

that he should not see it. Neither had Dr. Matthews intended he should; Henry, therefore, as I have said, was taken by surprise; and when Mrs. Bonville looked next at him, she perceived that his face was suffused with a deep blush, by which she was encouraged to go

on.

"Yes," she said, "Dr. Matthews's letter was very pleasing; but-" she added with a start, "what am I about? I was not to have repeated one word of this letter to you; but I am naturally so open, so incautious, no one should ever tell me any thing which he would wish concealed. But you will not betray me, Henry. And then, after all, you have so much senseas I ask my Edgar, what is beauty in a man? None but ladies-young ladies-think any thing of the outward appearance of a man, and that was what I remarked to Miss Hargrave yesterday, when she said that she should never forget your figure, as you sprang forward to seize the bridle of the rampant steed; and expressed a wish that she could have had your picture taken at the moment."

It would be difficult to describe the effect of this deep, strong dose of flattery which this foolish and unprincipled woman administered to Henry. He had experienced what it was to be quizzed and ridiculed to be held up as an ob

ject of scorn and mockery; and, in a word, as he thought, to be despised and condemned he had stood these exercises, and had come off with honour and dignity. Dr. Matthews's letter, at least that part which Mrs. Bonville had repeated to him, had convinced him that he had done so; and a new light (we will not call it a divine one) seemed at that moment to break in upon his mind, and he began to apprehend, what had never occurred to him before, that probably no small part of that quizzing and rowing which he had experienced at Clent Green was as much the effect of jealousy as of contempt. He remembered how the boys used to endeavour to fix ridicule upon Martin, and he was well assured that there had been much envy in their attempts to depreciate that fine young man. And thus having found a clue to the behaviour of many towards himself, his mind was busy in unravelling it, when his attention was again called to Mrs. Bonville, who had never ceased talking, although he had hardly been aware of it."

"And this, Master Milner," were the words which recalled his attention. "This is what I always say to my Edgar, have a good opinion of yourself, my dear boy, and the world will think well of you; and I say the same to you, my dear Henry: a young man who has not a

proper confidence in himself, cannot possibly possess that ease of manner which marks the gentleman. My Edgar is celebrated for his superior manners; and you must permit me to tell you, my dear Master Milner, that you want very little to render your manners equally fine. You have a natural elegance," &c. &c.

We may as well put et cetera, et cetera, as add any more to what Mrs. Bonville had already said. Some people have so little variety in their conversation, that half a dozen sentences, with a few et ceteras, and so forths, would describe their whole discourse, and give as good an idea of it as if it were detailed in a dozen folio volumes. Yet, although Henry Milner knew Mrs. Bonville to be an excessively silly woman, and one whom he had hitherto thought a regular bore, he could not refrain from being affected by her flatteries; and if they did not sink deep into his heart, they had an inebriating effect, like the honey of Bithynia, which had so powerful an influence, that it intoxicated all those who indulged in its sweets-so says Xenophon.

Honey is allowed to be the Scripture emblem of sweet and pleasing words, which in the mouth of the designing have all the effects of the honey of Bithynia: there are few that can resist its influence, much less one so young

as Henry Milner. But although he felt the intoxicating influence, he was not really happy. The Cerberus within him, viz. his conscience, began to disturb itself, and, like his great prototype, to rear his crested snakes and bristling hair, when a fresh application of honey, distilled from the lips of Mrs. Bonville, charmed him to silence.

"Melle soporatam et medicatis frugibus offam objicit;" for Henry, on her making use of the words, a proper pride," had objected against it, by remarking that he thought pride could never be proper, because pride was sinful; at which she immediately acquiesced, thanking him for his reproof, assuring him, at the same time, that there was no part of his character which she admired so much as his respect for religion; adding, that she only wished that her Edgar could have the advantage of his society-for that religion was an extremely proper thing, and ought to be attended to."

Thus, with a few more et ceteras, and so forths, Mrs. Bonville contrived to fill up the period of their passage through one long green embowered lane into another and another, till passing through a gate, and coming out upon a field which sloped down into a valley of considerable depth, the whole domain of the Hargraves was spread before them.