further delay. With rather more minuteness than delicacy she next detailed, as usual, her various remedies under this complication of disorders :-inveighed against selfishness as a vice which she held in particular abhorrence; declared that she had no wish to live in such a world, unless it were to plague her husband, Sir Carrol, who longed for her death, and whom she sometimes tantalised by pretending to have a church-yard cough; devoured a most hearty luncheon; drank three glasses of wine, which she maintained to be an additional proof that she was afflicted with a false appetite; handed a large plateful of meat to her fat wheezing spaniel (who seemed to labour under a similar complaint); and finally, looking as qualmish and queasy as her plump features would allow her, while she put her hand to her side with an exclamation of "Eugh!" at every third step, her ladyship crawled down stairs, was helped into her carriage, into which Emily jumped after her, and they drove off.

The Squire having set down Goldingham for

a rich old citizen, who might be "bubble able," that is to say, one that might be plucked at cards, dice, or in some other mode; was not a little vexed at the thought that he had offended him, and was proportionably pleased when Emily related the success of her visit, with which he had not been previously made acquainted. At her solicitation he even consented to ratify the treaty by calling on the old badger, and making an apology in person, a ceremony which he performed after a fashion of his own, endeavouring to carry off the humiliation of his excuse by an appearance of uproarious spirits, and venting now and then a verse of some bois

terous song, to show that he was not hurt by

66

asking pardon in plain prose. Whoop! Yoicks! Tantivy! Master Goldingham!" he exclaimed,—“ sink me if I ever meant to offend you, man; and if I did, I ask your pardon, and there's an end on 't. 'Sblood! I know you to be an honest fellow, and so I had a mind to you free of the county, and show you how we West of England boys handle our glasses,—

make

1

There were three men came out of the West,

To make saltpetre strong,

To turn it into gunpowder,

For to charge the King's cannon.'

Haugh! Haugh! 'gad, I'm in rare spirits, so let's shake hands and be friends."

"With great pleasure," said Goldingham; "and if, in future, you will but allow me to drink as little as I like, I promise that you have my free consent to get as tipsy as you please, and as often as it may suit you."

six

"Well, that's hearty; and if you will let me take you in hand, and prove myself a good neighbour, sink me if I don't make you months such a proper country gentleman to the back-bone, that you shall talk of nothing but dogs, horses, billiards, dice, tennis, bowls, hunting, fishing, races, and cockfighting. Aye, and we 'll make you a toper, too, and oblige you to confess that

'Diseases and troubles are ne'er to be found,

But in the damn'd place where the glass goes not round.'"

"I very much doubt," said Goldingham,

“whether you will find me an apt scholar in
any of these respects; but if you are disposed
to give me a lesson or two in farming-"

"Farming! whoop! I'm your man.

Fifty

to ten, you don't find a chap in Dorsetshire that better understands a sample of grain; how to handle a sheep or bullock, when to plough, sow, harrow, fallow, and manure; or one that can drive a closer bargain for a load or a stack, than Marmaduke Hartfield, of the Rookery. Hey! Venus, Venus! there's a pretty spaniel bitch! her father was Tumbler, the famous dog that Lord Arlington belonged to; and her mother was the long-eared brown bitch that brought the highest price at Sir Geoffry Palks's sale. What say you, neighbour? it's a plaguy long morning: shall we have a game at ombre, trictrac, crimp, primero, hazard,-anything you will ?"

"I never play of a morning," said Goldingham, drily.

“Well, then, I'm your man, next time we meet, after dinner; and so farewell, neighbour, for the present-Hey, Venus, Venus !"

VOL. I.

1

Let none at misfortune or losses repine,
But take a full dose of the juice of the vine.'

Come, Venus, hey, lass, hey!"

T

Most of the surrounding gentry having nov asked Goldingham to dinner, invitations which he had willingly accepted, for the sake of be coming acquainted with all his neighbours, h availed himself of Reuben's arrival to give hi first party in return, asking all those indivi duals to whom the reader has been introduced and several others who have not yet been sub mitted to his notice. Hospitable by nature, anxious to make a handsome debut before his new friends as the purveyor of a feast, and not at all sorry to find an opportunity for being bustling and busy, Isaac put in requisition all the skill which he had required in his civic capacity, and provided an entertainment which would not have disgraced the most esurient and epicurean of London Aldermen. The old Cavalier's stock of wine having been purchased with the house, Reuben was deputed to ransack the binns, which were all numbered, and