collect any thing about it, at all; only I know, if you come, we'll be glad to see you, and we'll make room for the whole of you, elegantly, in the old castle; but you mustn't expect any thing very fine or allamode de Paree; you must take it selong le coutume de pay, and if you are contented with that, you'll always find us en famille."

Horace could no longer suppress his laughter. Mrs. Moyle and the rest of the ladies looked uncomfortable.

66

Why, what's the man laughing at now?" said Moyle.

"Nothing, nothing, my dear fellow!" replied Horace.

The Moyles at length took their leave, Narcissus still persisting that he was a plain fellow, and that they would find Mrs. Moyle and himself always en famille.

The health of Augusta was in some slight degree improved by the change of scene,

and

Lady Caroline attempted by degrees to draw her gently into society by taking her to one or two parties; but this she so revolted at the thoughts of, and so entreated her mother not to urge her going, that Lady Caroline gave up all thoughts of gaiety; and a few people occasionally at the house, very select, was all that her daughter could be prevailed on to support in the shape of company. Her spirits and her health admitted of but one cure,-namely the affection of Hyde Nugent, and that she was destined never again to enjoy, if, indeed, she ever had it.

Soon disgusted with the froth and folly of Cheltenham, Augusta begged her parents would think of moving to some other watering-place, where at least the company, if not more sensible, might be a little more distinguée. Brighton was now fixed on; and Brighton, if one does not find it always full, is sure to be the resort, at most times of the year, of some part of the aristocracy,

And here we shall for the present leave them, walking on the Steyne, or riding on the downs, or patronizing the ocean, as the case might be, the weather serve, or their inclinations prompt.

CHAP. VIII.

I see thy honourable metal may be wrought on,
From what it is disposed; therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep even with their likes:
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?

SHAKSPEARE.

WE find ourselves, reader, getting too prosy; and as we have still a large store of events to detail, we must dwell as short a time as possible on each particular incident that of necessity must be submitted to your eyes; for London seems to have taken up so much of our time and room, that if we do not take in the aggregate those which succeeded to the others which have gone before, passing over the minutiæ of detail, or rather abandoning a detail of

the minutia,-this work, which originally was only intended to occupy two volumes, will be swelled out into six.

We shall therefore just take a review of things as they were when we left town, and in a few words hope to find ourselves again discussing "things as they are," on our return; merely stating what has been done in the interim, towards materially forwarding the views of the several parties concerned.

Hyde had by degrees got so amalgamated, as it were, with Adonis Millefleurs and his set, by whom he was flattered, looked up to, and copied in all he said and did, that he found it no easy task to disengage himself from them, nor in fact could he by any means; and his wish to leave them became daily less strong as the fascination of their society, dangerous to his principles as it was ruinous to his purse, was stronger felt. He fancied himself their idol; and little imagined it was because the money he was thought to have at command, and his