the liberty of introducing a friend, first into the vacant seat in his travelling-carriage, and from thence into the mansion of Roe Park. He meant to have acquired hospitable habits suitable to his fortune, but had not yet had leisure either for the new furnishing of his house or of his mind; and just when he had made all his arrangements for going to Roe Park, he received a letter of introduction, recommending Sir Philip Hum, a relation of the deceased Mr Harris, to his most particular attention. "What a bore!" thought Dr Spleen Harris; "but I cannot get off-I shall just take him with me to Roe Park, and pass him off with the Marchioness as a good match for her to take in for Lady Amelia or Jane Pert, if I do not take Lady Amelia myself."

No sooner said than done with Dr Spleen Harris. "My dear sir," said he, to Sir Philip Hum, "I have no doubt you wish to see the north, and have a shot at the grouse-there is many a good covey, or, to speak more like a sportsman, many a good pack, of them there; therefore, as I think it likely to prove more agreeable to you than remaining in my poor bachelor house, I hope you will accompany me to my friend the Marquis of Vainall's, where I shall insure you a hearty Scotch welcome.”

Sir Philip Hum made a pretty accommodating speech, which literally meant, "I care not where

I go; where you go, I go;" and concluded with an appropriate want-word kind of speaking bow. And that same evening Dr Spleen Harris set off for Roe Park, accompanied by his new acquaintance, Sir Philip Hum, whose character shall be developed in the ensuing pages.

CHAPTER III.

"In argument, we must judge by the words we hear, and not by the persons who utter them."

EVERY one has some characteristic feature of person as well as of mind; and physiognomists and mankind in general, without thinking of the import of their words, give assent to the truth of the proposition. How often do we hear it said, I know such a one by his walk, by his bend, by his head, by his back, by his height, by his shortness, by his thickness, by his leanness. The same observations extend to the brute creation; and the experienced shepherd attaches a certain individuality to every sheep in his flock.-How great are the varieties in the works of God !-How minute and distinct are their separate peculiarities!

Upon the whole, the figure of Sir Philip Hum was good; he had a certain ease and air distingué about him, which marked a man who had lived in good society. Those who saw him at a distance recognized his firm step and erect carriage; as he drew nearer, they distinguished him by his nose, for it was a noble-looking high aquiline nose, which

supported a white forehead, adorned with regular eye-brows and clear expressive hazel eyes. He had a mouth a la Buonaparte, and a head and hair a la Brutus; in short, he was generally esteemed a good-looking man, and not a few reckoned him handsome. His manners were quiet and unobtrusive, and he was more of a thinking than a talkative personage. All the charms and embellishments of the outward man were fully appreciated by the inward man; and, indeed, it will generally be found, that the male sex, however lowly may be their demeanour under the consciousness of outward attractions, have a perfect knowledge of their charms, and value them never under their current price.

But perhaps this opinion of Sir Philip Hum may be erroneous, and formed too hastily upon the sarcastic remarks of Dr Spleen Harris, who thought no man could cast a passing glance on a mirror, adjust his collar, and put aside a wandering hair, without thinking, What a fine-looking fellow am I !

Sir Philip's rank in society was that of representative of the Hums, who had been baronets of Humhall for upwards of two centuries.

He had been two years in the Guards, but had now sheathed his sword, and changed his implement of glory. He was now in Parliament, and once a-year made full use of his tongue in the ser

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vice of his country; for he was member for the borough of Hum, and his speeches were much admired, and nought diminished, when inserted in the Long-Bow, that old established and justly esteemed newspaper. In short, Sir Philip Hum was a man well received in society, and consequently Dr Spleen Harris knew that he would certainly be well received by the Marchioness of Vainall. admired Lady Amelia very much; she was looking very well; and he was agreeably surprised to find a person so little Gothic who had been brought up in Scotland, and who had never been in town. She likewise appeared to him to have a soul; she was indeed a remarkably good listener. The full extent of her merits he could not fully appreciate, for, if not a professed freethinker, he was certainly a practical one. Accordingly, the first time he found himself alone with Dr Spleen Harris, he expressed himself in the following terms:-" Well, Harris, I am really vastly indebted to you for introducing me to this very agreeable family-Lady Amelia appears to me particularly agreeable, indeed a very charming young woman."

"She is pleasant enough when she pleases,” said Dr Spleen Harris; "she is not so very young either, but looks very well, considering; she is not many years my junior, I assure you."