"Some men to business-others to pleasure-take

But every woman is at heart a rake.”

"Pope was a libeller of the sex; he was tantalized with the sight of beauty, which his own deformity forbade him all hopes of enjoying. I would as soon accept Sheridan as an authority upon minor morals, as take Pope's malignant dicta upon that sex, which detested his person, as he affected to despise its mind."

"Since you have taken to admiring Miss Lucy Dormer in particular, you seem to have grown an enthusiast about the whole sex in general. By the way, should you like to know Miss Dormer? If you join me on Tuesday next, at dinner, I will take you to a party at Brompton, given by a theatrical friend of mine, where you will have an opportunity of meeting your favourite amongst the actresses."

I grasped at Cumberland's proposal, and

was punctual in my engagement with him to dine. After discussing some excellent Burgundy, we arrived at Mr. Webberson's house, at Brompton.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE MANAGER'S SOIREE.-LIONS OF ALL TRIBES.

WEBBERSON was a man who had been for a

year in the guards, and for a couple of months in the House of Commons, from which he had been ejected on a petition for want of qualification. He had then gone the northern circuit, and was getting into criminal practice, being a very fluent and energetic speaker,

ntil by an unlucky accident he assisted in

hanging one of his clients through his ignorance of law. He had tried authorship, and had written a tragedy, which excited vast mirth; and a couple of lachrymose farces, in which the humour was of a most grave-digger kind. Last of all, he took to toadyism and tuft-hunting. He had a fine person, and a vast expanse of white forehead, with black bunches of hair at the sides of his head. He dressed well, and told a story tolerably; and was not over scrupulous as to how he could best serve one of his titled friends. Having vast energy, and no money, he thought the best thing he could do was to turn a theatrical manager. At last the fellow succeeded. What with his impudence to the public, and his servility to the aristocracy; what with his arts of cajoling, by which he got the press to write him up, he actually succeeded in maintaining his theatre with considerable effect.

His villa at Brompton was a cottage ornée, off the high road, in a small dusty garden, where Flora preserved a phthisical existence. The rooms were very small--three opening en suite-a drawing-room and a dining-parlour, communicating with a library fitted up in imitation of Abbotsford. The walls were covered with theatrical portraits, in rich gilt frames. Interspersed amongst these were some really excellent oil paintings, presented him by his artistical friends, and his library was stored with presentation copies from the motley band. of modern authors; for Webberson had a universal acquaintance.

The rooms were brilliantly lighted, and the company was exceedingly crowded. There was no dancing, for there was not room for the Duke of G- to turn about easily, thin as his grace is. I experienced a curious sensation when I found myself in this crowd of

VOL. I.

I