free country is a sort of-hem! a kind of

"Curse him, Squire," croaked Chinnery, "don't suffer such an Abram cove to play the counterfeit crank. If he were to refuse to booze

it at the George in White Friars, the Bear and Harrow in Chancery Lane, the Setting Dog and Partridge in Jackanapes Alley, or any of the loyal houses in London, they would mill him with a filch, or give him a worse Rose-Alley salutation than Johnny Dryden's."

Whoop! Master Goldingham," cried the Squire, "if you don't drink one bumper, we shall fine you three; ay, and make you swallow them too so

Lay by your cares, and hang up your sorrow,

Drink on-he's a sot that e'er thinks of to-morrow.'

During the whole of this vulgar attack, which was coarsely echoed by some of the Squire's rustic associates, Goldingham's obstinacy had been gradually fortifying itself in resistance, until the command of the King himself would not have persuaded him to put the glass to his

lips. With a stern countenance, that declared he had made up his mind to a purpose, and meant to abide by it, he said to his host, "Mr. Hartfield, I have told you my resolution; it is not to be altered by singing or brawling, neither by your own angry looks, nor the furious clamour of your friends. The acquaintance between us was of your seeking, not mine; and since it does not suit me to conform to the rules your house, I am very willing to leave it."

of

"Mr. Chairman," said Sir Ambrose, after clearing his throat with a preliminary hem! "I rise to order."

"It is high time," exclaimed Goldingham.

66

"I have a proposition to propose," continued the Orator, " upon which I wish to take the sense of the company."

"Where the deuce will you find it?” inquired Isaac pettishly.

"Little did I think, and less did I imagine," pursued the Parliamentarian, "that I should witness such a scene as this. Completely coinciding with our hospitable host, without, however, in the least inculpating his visitant—"

"Lock the door, Chinnery!" bawled the Squire, observing that Goldingham was preparing to withdraw, "Whoop! sink me if he shall quit the room unless by the window, till he drinks the bumper. Yoicks, my lads! stop him, stop him, and support your chairman."

"My dear Hartfield," said Sir Harcourt Slingsby, rising, "I cannot sit still and see you act in a manner so inconsistent with the polite and urbane coat that does such honour to your taste. May the corner of my favourite eye exhibit the crow's foot! if I can allow this matter to go any further. I am sorry Mr. Goldingham has such an objection to drink bumper toasts; but it must not be said that he suffered any constraint or rude indignity, in the presence of so many well-dressed gentlemen. It would be an imputation upon their cloths, an impeachment of their cravats and perriwigs." At these words he opened the door, making a courteous bow to Goldingham, who, as he passed out exclaimed, “Sir, you are a real gentleman, and I shall he happy to do business with you,-to see you, I mean, at Goldingham Place." The

wind of the closing door wafted after him a rich perfume from Sir Harcourt's scented peruke, as he passed up stairs into the drawing-room, whose inmates had no reason to suspect that he had been just engaged in such a Lapithæan strife. His carriage, which had been ordered at an unusually early hour, was soon afterwards announced, and Goldingham took his departure from the Rookery, after passing a most uncomfortable day, and without the least wish of ever again crossing its threshold.

CHAPTER V.

"Yet love the city as the kindly nurse
Of all good arts and fair civility;

Where, though with good be intermixt the worse,
That most disturb our sweet tranquillity,

Content thyself till thine ability

And better hap shall answer thy desire :

But, Muse, beware, lest we too high aspire.

HENRY PEACHAM.

Ir may easily be imagined that the boisterous vulgarity of the Squire, the low, boorish manners of some of his companions, and the malignant scandal of others, did not impress Goldingham with any very exalted opinion of the society to be found in the new neighbourhood into which he had transplanted himself. It was doing it a great injustice, indeed, to measure it by such a standard; but as yet he had