a whole family going to live cheap en Province, and obtain a good accent for their younger children. A jilted lover sighed most bitterly in the forecastle, to which he had retired, with eyes fixed upon the water, though now and then looking at the road up the cliff, as leading to the only thing in the world that could interest him, with all her faults. On the other hand, in solemn state, and most oracular visage, sat an Envoy and his Secretary, just appointed to their first mission at an inferior German court, on which they thought the fate of Europe depended. Two or three Frenchmen sat by themselves, congratulating each other on having escaped from the pays brutale et féroce, where the ladies never said a word, and no one could make a good soup. It were endless to recount the impressions which these and other characters made upon Wentworth and De Vere; who, at the same time, were themselves as open as the rest to the investigation of a philosopher. They certainly participated with the most restless of their companions, in their desire to leave England; and it was not till they were full midchannel, and under the impulse of a favourable breeze, that they seemed to breathe a freer air. How different from that beautiful, that unfortunate, and then innocent queen, who, crossing this very channel, fixed her eyes till night on the shores she had left, and even ordered her bed to be spread on the deck, that she might behold them once more in the dawn, if the dawn still gave them to her view! nature; it could hardly contain more fears, or regrets, or hopes, tender or bitter recollections, or joyful expectations, curiosity, or moroseness, or avarice, or the spirit of intrigue, love, honour, or ambition, than the boat that wafts the restless Englishman to the opposite shore. With this in view, we will not merely say a misanthrope, but a rational observer of mankind, would do well, for a while, to take a position on the pier of any port of embarkation. The fancy of a Jaques would run riot in it. But we must not stop to inquire into the thousand exhibitions of the human character which Dover afforded to our travellers, as they seated themselves in the packet. Here an emaciated devotee of the world, in whose service he had destroyed his health, was flying to the sweet south for strength to enjoy it a little longer; there his heir, accompanying him, and secretly wondering (we will not say wishing the contrary) whether he would ever come back. Here an embezzler, with the portfolio of his master, fearing an officer in every man that looked at him. There a wife, in tears and agitation, and already repentant at having fled from a husband with a lover not to be compared to him. Now they saw a young heir, big with all hope, the world at his feet; and now a man driven from society for infamy, envying the commonest sailor boy that scrubbed dirt from the deck. Here was a faded ennuyé, flying from himself in London, to be still more tired of the same person in Paris; there a whole family going to live cheap en Province, and obtain a good accent for their younger children. A jilted lover sighed most bitterly in the forecastle, to which he had retired, with eyes fixed upon the water, though now and then looking at the road up the cliff, as leading to the only thing in the world that could interest him, with all her faults. On the other hand, in solemn state, and most oracular visage, sat an Envoy and his Secretary, just appointed to their first mission at an inferior German court, on which they thought the fate of Europe depended. Two or three Frenchmen sat by themselves, congratulating each other on having escaped from the pays brutale et féroce, where the ladies never said a word, and no one could make a good soup. It were endless to recount the impressions which these and other characters made upon Wentworth and De Vere; who, at the same time, were themselves as open as the rest to the investigation of a philosopher. They certainly participated with the most restless of their companions, in their desire to leave England; and it was not till they were full midchannel, and under the impulse of a favourable breeze, that they seemed to breathe a freer air. How different from that beautiful, that unfortunate, and then innocent queen, who, crossing this very channel, fixed her eyes till night on the shores she had left, and even ordered her bed to be spread on the deck, that she might behold them once more in the dawn, if the dawn still gave them to her view! Not one of the motley crew of the packet, and certainly not De Vere or Wentworth, were actuated by this feeling towards England. Yet England was their country, and loved by them both, as it deserved to be loved. It contained all they most fondly prized, though it also contained what had occasioned their disgust. At that moment disgust predominated; witness the feeling of Wentworth when he was recently so impressed by the scene of his former activity. Indeed there is no saying to what extremity of prejudice the human heart will proceed, under the influence of great excitement, when unregulated by the habit of self-controul. Out of complaisance to the youth and health of De Vere, Wentworth offered to stay some time at Paris; but, not more to his pleasure than his surprise, De Vere declared against it. "I care not for its luxury," said he; " and as to the French woman of quality, she is not to my taste— 'There's language in her eye; her cheek, her lip, Oh, how different from what we have left!" "Yet there are l'Espinasse, and Geoffrin, and Du Deffand," said Wentworth, not noticing his last observation. 66 They are not women," replied De Vere, "but masculine spirits in petticoats." "But their conversation," continued Wentworth. Disappoints me at every turn," replied De Vere. 66 "Yet it is full of brilliancy," said his companion; "of thinking, and even of science and learning." "It is on that very account I dislike it: I doubt the thinking; and though I might admire brilliancy for a time, and wit too, if it do not make them bold, I wish not to be dazzled where soothing and softness are the peculiar fascinations of the sex. It is to these, and these alone, that we fly for that refuge which we cannot find in ourselves." "You hate then science and learning in petticoats?" 'Why if I wanted them for their own sakes, I could get them better from the men; if for the sake of any superior attraction, when possessed by females, I could as soon think a coat and waistcoat superiorly graceful from being worn by a woman instead of myself." "This may be true," said Wentworth; "but if not at Paris, where then is your standard of excellence ?" "Look at home," replied De Vere, "for how different are the gentle beings we have quitted, where the most excellent sense and the best understandings are accompanied by a retiring grace that never suffers them to overstep their modesty of character." 66 Upon my word," said Wentworth, "the English ladies, at least, are much obliged to you; yet even in England, we have Mrs. Montague." "And even Mrs. Montague," replied De Vere, "I could love more, if she would lay down her learning. Beauty, elegance, goodness, all conspire in her |