with something like horror, as became a country gentleman's wife, the violent heats in which Mr. Drake indulged when the subject of conversation verged anywhere near his semirevolutionary theories of government. He was too wise a practitioner, and (as he said self-excusingly to those who wondered at his zeal, but wondered, more, as they inquired"Then why don't you set up for some snug little borough yourself, Drake?")-too much engaged in his profession, to take any prominent part in politics; but he made ample amends whenever he happened to ensnare a bad-paying Tory client in the meshes of his hospitality, for he grew so furious that he generally had the satisfaction of converting the stickler for abuses by the forcible argument of present and personal abuse, persevered in to the bodily confusion and terror of his victim.

CHAPTER V.

PRACTICAL POLITICS.

Ir the gay tone of Charles's letter to his wife had indeed arisen from a change in his principles, and a hearty resolve to devote himself to the advocacy of those principles from purely patriotic motives, there would have been every reason to hope, not merely that he had overcome the mortification of his defeats on the threshold of public life, but that his whole character would acquire both stability and energy of the best kind by a free engagement in the stormy politics of the period.

To one who had scarcely given a single hour's consideration to the topics now under angry and universal discussion, it was not surprising that the clear arguments of a practical man like Nathaniel should assume all the force of demonstration; nor can we wonder that such a scholar received impressions from his teacher which were as unalterable as they were new. There was no necessity for him to exert his independent judgment, so convincing were the one or two arguments his instructor condescended to use, and so overwhelming generally were the representations and demands with which the good

lawyer clinched or superseded mere argument. One consequence of this facility in receiving impressions was, that the influence of the truth received was cramped and feeble, so far as his own internal character was concerned. The maxims which pleaded with common sense, reason, and virtue, for a nation's freedom were well fitted to quicken the dormant powers of all who believed them, and to impart some of their own simple dignity to the character of their advocates. But when they were welcomed to the mind without any appreciation of their intrinsic power and worth, or when under the influence of ulterior motives, or riotous passions-they could do no good to the recipient, and could only secure strength for their own advancement by the accession of mere numbers. At the time when Charles received his first lessons in politics from his astute friend, his mind was warped and sore from recent humiliation, so that he never cared or stayed to weigh the claims of Reform, but rushed into the extreme views of his new party with a blind sense of his own wrongs. Assuredly the defective laws of the representation had as little to do with his defeat as in any case that ever occurred; but the bare idea of his double defeat, which somehow or other he guessed truly enough was the result of party manoeuvring, was quite enough to stir up within his ill-regulated mind a fanatical desire to overturn, and injure, and destroy, in every direction, and for this purpose to lend himself to the movement which happily-(happily, we say, and may well say, when we reflect how rarely it has happened in the history of nations) -was fully under the control of its chief promoters. His, then, was the eloquence of cant. For patriotism was only an excuse for the outbreak of morbid dissatisfaction with the world and with himself. His was that dangerous zeal which is utterly incapable of self-control, and very seldom under any control-the zeal which is first an affectation and then a madness-a zeal which, in its fury, comprises all the lower passions, and disregards and deadens the guidance and remonstrances of the nobler elements of nature. His adhesion to the cause was accepted by far-seeing men, not on the ground of any supposed moral weight brought to their cause, but merely as the one of the thousand-and-one secondary helps to ultimate

success. For a time, however, it seemed far otherwise to the young adventurer. He was so little conversant with the world as to be profoundly affected with the fulsome praise which poured in upon him on every hand. He believed what they told him-(just once in a way for the sake of nailing him for ever) that his standing and wealth were a sensible and highly appreciated addition to the machinery of their stupendous struggle. He was elated. He was comforted. The vox populi in Crown and Anchor meetings was a Lethean draught which soothed and almost banished the recent trials from his remembrance. In the moments of graver self-examination, he was disquieted with his own ignorance, and with a ludicrous sense of his own hypocrisy ; but this only led him to redouble his show of fidelity and zeal-to rave and rant yet more incoherently to throw himself more than ever into the front, where the fire was hottest, and exposure was glory, until he became conceited- —as all men do when they continue a show of fervour which their consciences have already belied, and his conceit became unendurable, constantly troublesome and distasteful; so much so that the great bulk of serious reformers felt very much inclined to kick him out of their ranks. And they virtually did turn their backs on him as soon as they were relieved from the misconception under which they had for a time suffered his nonsense and perilous proposals. His intimacy with the sagacious Nathaniel gave him originally a weight which his wealth and squireship would never have obtained for him. Nathaniel was well known to be averse from taking a prominent part in the business of agitation, and they would have been quite content with the valuable aid which they received from his private suggestions, so full were these generally found of that caution which inspires and rewards courage by prognosticating and greatly helping to the attainment of safe and final success. For a time, then, they had looked upon the young disciple as the exponent of Nathaniel's real sentiments-as the puppet moved by strings for the exhibiting of the showman's own thoughts. They often wondered at the rapidity with which one so proverbially prudent was being led into flighty notions and wild schemes; but at length they found out their mis

take, when privately consulting the lawyer as to the best ways and means of bringing Charles in at the general election. For they heard him with equal relief and astonishment declare that if Charles ever did put up as a candidate, he himself would put up in opposition to him, and spend his last penny to beat him.

"What," said they, "have you quarrelled?"

"Quarrelled, bless you? Nothing of the kind; but if you only heard him rave, as I do every night, over a friendly after dinner bottle of wine, you'd as soon think of nominating the ghost of old Robespierre; it's all merry enough, and keeps one alive after a hard day's work, to see young blood boiling with fancy and fury, but I say, though I love him as my own flesh and blood, that for his own sake as well as for the cause, I would not suffer him to stand up with his crude and nonsensical balderdash, to represent the grave interests of a nation trembling on the verge of revolution."

After this very satisfactory explanation, of course the idea of making our young friend a member of a Reformed House of Commons was entirely laid aside. Charles was slow in discovering, because he was slow to believe it possible, that he was of little or no importance in the esteem of those for whose praise and gratitude he had so eagerly thirsted. Never did it occur to him that his services had been quoted at such a discount by his confidential friend, and it was well for him that such knowledge was withheld from him, for certainly it would have anticipated the rupture which did afterwards take place, and would have brought about that rupture in such a way as to render future reconciliation hopeless.

When the great crisis actually came, it found him unprepared to take any worthy part. Up to the very moment he had nursed the delusion that his sacrifices were appreciated, and his sincerity as well as power were thoroughly trusted; but when the grand united movement began in its last triumphant march, he felt that he was misplaced, forgotten, passed by, and well nigh trampled under the hurrying feet of those who had the key to every signal, who were in the secret of each preconcerted step. To him no duty was allotted-for him no opening seemed left even by chance. In the universal

peal of a nation's mighty voice, there was no sound from him -no syllable for him. All the dreams of ambition-all the fervours of his rabid patriotism were counted but as unhealthy vapours, and he was left out, and almost alone, when the victorious freemen of England went up to receive the right which they had claimed, and to possess the land which they had won with all but bloodless conquest.

CHAPTER VI.

FELO DE SE.

His

CHARLES's sense of his desolation was most complete. mad rage sought for a present victim; but finding only the smiles, and cheers, and joyous greetings of a liberated people, there was none, not even his old enemy Malkin, nor his new friend, Drake, who could be chosen for the indulgence of his vengeance. So his mad rage turned in upon his own heart, and nestled foully there.

The first serious effect of this self-devouring rage was the abandonment of himself to the company of those who had swarmed around him, offering till then scarcely heeded flattery, but who were precisely the men to take advantage of a well-to-do juvenile, with plenty of money, and a regular fit of the spleen. He openly insulted his warm-hearted, and (for aught he knew) unoffending friend, Mr. Drake, and took himself, with his hurt pride, to the circle of the vicious and ruined, with whom his feelings, though neither his taste nor his character, induced him to sympathize. The excited state of all parties, and his avowed interest in the plans and labours of the metropolitan clubs-the absorbing nature of the great national conflict-the rallying effects of all these things on his own spirit and bodily health, found a sufficient excuse to the lonely Sarah for his continued absence from home. She could not then go to him for a particular reason, which there was no particular reason to mention to him, though surely, at that time, we may hope, had he been aware of it, he would have deemed it quite reason enough why he should be near his wife. Good old