returned, smiling. "Poor Damer's friends were unfortunate, and Smith, who is always good-natured, protected his youth. He was very distinguished at the university; but then, as Smith has told me, he gave himself so completely up to meditation, that it seemed as if in dreams and visions he would forget the existence of the outward world. Is not that often the case with very studious people?"

"Probably so," answered Florian. "It is very likely to be the effect of solitude."

"I marked in a Review the other day, a passage which reminded me of Smith's description of his friend's state. Here it is: -There is a condition of man, in which the natural and the human altogether disappear in the supernatural and superhuman; in which the spirit wrestles with the natural man in aspirations, dreams, and visions; shuts him up in monasteries; carries him to solitary places and distant lands; and extinguishes human affections and obligations by the weight, the transport, and the glory of the divine.' Mr. Smith laughed at me when I said I could understand this. He called it nonsense. How do you think hẹ roused his friend?"

"By persuading him to enter society, perhaps."

"Not exactly. He demanded payment of the money he had advanced for Damer's education."

"Was this quite friendly, do you think?"

"It was Smith's way of showing friendship, and no one serves his friends better. Damer was roused, and took pupils. Cavendish was one of them, and Bellstar and Mr. Dudley were with him also. That last connection must have proved in some way unfortunate to him, I think; he now moves in the world as if he were indifferent to its concerns; those who know him best say he has some secret grief. But his nature is very beautiful. He is kind to me; and always tells me that peace, if not happiness, is to be found in that self-exertion which duty demands from all of us in whatever path of life we tread-and which God has made the first condition of his favour."

Florian's thoughts lay on the surface; yet he wondered to find a creature so young, so innocent, and apparently so inexperienced, give utterance to such grave and reflective words. He perceived in them a kind of beauty-and, always facile, he continued

the conversation in the same key. When she went on to speak of Cavendish, and to remark how strange it was, that one so gifted, and placed in so high a position, should fly from the world, and even seclude himself from the society of his friends, Tremore, whose reading had been discursive, observed that that disposition was not uncommon, though unintelligible to him; and he mentioned several persons who, blessed apparently with every thing to render life desirable, had fallen into profound melancholy, and, finding existence intolerable, had ridden themselves of a burden they were unable to bear.

Una, as a slight thrill passed through her frame, turned to him her sweet and earnest glance

"Does not the decree of Providence," she said, "which subjects some persons to such severe affliction, seem inscrutable; for what can all other trials be, compared to that fearful inward perplexity which finds existence itself insupportable? Cavendish is greatly to be pitied if he feels this. What can be so dreadful as despair? I met with a sentiment in Madame Guizot this morning, which struck me more than any sentence

I ever read. It was to the effect, that resignation to ill is weakness, until every means of resistance have been exhausted-then it becomes fortitude."

Florian admired the sentiment, and then, noticing a piano near Miss Laneton, he hinted his love of music. She instantly moved to the instrument, and selected a symphony of Beethoven. The extreme delicacy of her touch, deprived her playing of all pretence to executive brilliancy; but she had that rarer faculty which sympathizes with a master's spirit, and can give to his conceptions the thrilling interpretation of a kindred mind. Florian read music with facility, and had sufficient taste to admire the soft, celestial colouring which Una gave to the great composer's inspirations. As Una rose from her seat, her father approached, accompanied by Lord Glarvale. At the request of the latter, the capitalist introduced him to his distinguished young friend; and Florian became impressed with a conviction, that some wonderful change must have been wrought in him with his changed fortune, as the Earl took his hand with an air of the most profound deference and humility, which left no doubt of his sincerity when he

spoke of the honour done him by the introduction. His lordship was very pompous in his address, and had a peculiar habit of what his acquaintance called "haughwhaughing" at the end of his sentences, as if he were crowing over the wisdom to which he had given utterance. He managed to draw Florian aside, and with somewhat less than his usual allowance of haugh-whaughs, spoke of a pretty villa he had on the Kentish hills, where Lady Glarvale passed many a day during the heat of summer, in the midst of charming woodland scenery. He pressed Florian so warmly to pay him a visit there, and spend a day or two quite en famille, if he liked the place, that he good-naturedly yielded to the peer's importunity, and more especially as his lordship intimated, that Geraldine, with her young sisters, would be delighted to show him the neighbourhood. Florian's acceptance of his invitation made him a happy man for the night, and set all his scheming faculties in active motion.

In a large party, groups are continually changing. The next moment, Florian found himself in company with Freeborn.

"Come here!" he exclaimed; " I have something to show you worth looking at.