go by yet." Then turning suddenly to Tremaine, he said, “I knew your grandfather well. I am glad to see you; but I am sorry you shut yourself up. You have made no vow, I hope. A bad thing to tempt heaven-a very bad thing, take my word for it."

Pausing a little, he added, with rather a vacant look, "I see the world, however, very well; do you know I have sometimes counted thirty-seven coaches and chaises in a day, going by this window; and I can always tell if there is any good news, before Lord Bellenden himself; for he cannot see the ribbons in the coachmen's hats."

Then assuming a wiser tone, "Let me give you a piece of advice," said he, "Mr. Tremaine: You see there a great deal of knowledge-" (pointing to his books and instruments;) "vain, if it is not useful; and not useful, if not communicated.”

"Well!" continued the humourist, "only don't shut yourself up.-If I dared go out of my gate,' I would have better company than Jones or Dobbs.”

These were afterwards explained by Evelyn to be the curate, and a neighbouring farmer, who for the last seventeen years had dined with Sir Hildebrand every Sunday; the only recreation he allowed himself, beyond the chance passengers he met with at his gate.

"But," proceeded he, "I go to see no one, and

therefore no one comes to see me; there is a give and take in all things, and I do as well as I can. I am in the commission, and nobody is the securer for it; I read, and nobody is the wiser for it; I am rich, and nobody is the better for it. This is bad, very bad, Mr. Tremaine. I see there is another carriage; Lord Bellenden must be very happy; but it will cost him a deal of money, a deal of money!-Old Jones says, there is more waste in his kitchen in a month, than would support him all the year round."

Afterwards, whispering Evelyn, loud enough to be heard, however, by all; "They say he stews five hams into one turtle-and yet the estate can pay :" then observing Georgina looking at him with some pity and a great deal of kindness, he sat mute for several minutes, twisting his thumbs, like a school+ boy corrected by the glance of his master.

Evelyn eyed him with tenderness, and in pure compassion wishing to change the conversation, said he was glad to see him so well.

"Yes!" he replied, "I am pure well, but not so happy as I was: people don't come to talk to me at the gate as they used, and nobody minds me-yet I have five thousand a year, and no one but a fourth cousin." Then regarding Georgina with courage than hitherto," you say she is your daughter;-well, she is very pretty, and seems very gentle; but have a care," and whispering in Evelyn's

-

more

ear, he added, "no one can trust 'em." After this, as if exhausted by the effort, he fell again into silence.

The whole party were affected, and Evelyn rose to go--" Stop," said Sir Hildebrand to Georgina→→→ "You seem, as I said, gentle: you seem honest toỡ, and would not say one thing and do another. I am much obliged to you for coming to see me. I never saw but one that looked so handsome and so good, and she turned out ill." Here the old man sighed. "You are not married, I perceive, for you want a ring;" then unlocking a small cabinet, he took out a diamond hoop, with a ruby in the middle of it of considerable value, and fitting it on her finger, before she seemed aware of what he was about, "there," said he, "if ever you want a friend you may come again." After which bowing to them all, he said, "I think I have counted all the carriages that have gone by, and yours will be the fourth."

Both Evelyn and Tremaine thought it was time to leave the poor Baronet to himself; and Georgina having looked at her father, and perceiving that he wished her to accept the ring, would have returned her thanks; but she was not only very much affected, but the giver hung his head in even sheepish distress, and begged her so awkwardly to say nothing about it, that she was silent-contenting herself with a courtesy and a look, which was not thrown away

upon Sir Hildebrand, much less upon Tremaine, who translated that look into ten thousand softnesses, every one of them winding into his own heart.-The Baronet himself seemed roused by it, for he immediately said, with an air of something like dignity, "If you are going, at least let me have the honour of assisting you," and actually gave his hand to her with a manner which a Lord Chamberlain need not have blushed at. Georgina could not help pressing it as he put her into the carriage;-which made him falter and blush, so as to disable him from saying a word to his male guests: and many were the speculations from the windows of the hall, and the walls of the court-yard, which were crowded with his servants and tenants, as Tremaine and his friends drove off to Bellenden House.

The party were for many minutes silent after leaving Homestead. Georgina was affected, even to tears, with what she had seen; Evelyn was much impressed, and Tremaine thoughtful: so that Lord Bellenden's lodges were almost in sight before the train of reflection was broken. At length Evelyn could not help exclaiming, " a noble mind seems here o'erthrown."

"I own I expected something very different," said Tremaine with emotion.

"Poor fellow!" cried Georgina, as she looked at her ring, and could not help a tear falling upon it,

which she was unwilling to wipe away. "I will keep it for his sake."

The emotion did not make either of her companions less thoughtful.

"You see, my friend," said Evelyn with a serious air," what it is, as this poor gentleman observed, to tempt heaven. It is evident that the report of the neighbourhood is true; and that in a temporary fit of disgust, perhaps of madness, from disappointment, he bound himself to this way of life by a vow. consequence is, that by brooding over in solitude what he might have dissipated by business, he nursed himself into a humourist, and has led a useless, and, I should think, an unhappy life."

The

"The latter does not appear," said Tremaine, rousing; "he seems to have been social at least at his gate: and, as long as he had plenty of gossip, not to have been unhappy."

"Granting that," replied the Doctor, "to what indeed, as you sometimes say, is a man of education reduced, when, to count the stage-coaches, or busy one's self about another man's kitchen, has become, perhaps, a serious employment ?"

"May he not, from your own theory," said Tremaine, "be happy?”

"which perhaps

"If he may," answered Evelyn, I ought not to deny, it at least proves the soundness of the theory itself; for you see his solitude, unoc