the thing differently from himself, he actually shewed symptoms of distress.

As for me, in my simplicity, I wondered at a state of society which could seem to admit such a person to its honours.

Granville told me afterwards he doubted the fact, that he had reviewed a book without reading, or at least looking at it; but though it compromised his integrity, the assertion sounded epigrammatic, and among his literary dependents would have certainly been thought witty.

Paragraph's non-success here delivered us again from him for a few minutes more, and he seemed under some constraint, on the conversation becoming general, and nobody speaking to him; for even Lord Castleton, with all his politeness, had now neglected him. Rallying, however, and addressing Granville, he observed,

"I saw you last night at the great Lady Hungerford's assembly."

"Yes," replied Granville, who seldom spared him, "and I wondered how the devil you got there.""

"O!" returned he, " leave me alone for getting any where I like. But, upon my word," added he, in an authoritative tone," considering Lady Hungerford's reputation, I was sadly disappointed." "How so?" asked Lord Castleton, with curiosity. Why, I own," replied Paragraph, "it was far

from the genteel thing I expected. The rooms and the music were well enough, but the company, with a few exceptions, were absolute quizzes. There is indeed an article in this morning's World,* wondering whether money was taken at the door for shewing them."

"Written by yourself, no doubt," said Gran

ville.

"That's neither here nor there," answered the director of public taste; looking, however, very

conscious.

"You do my niece a great deal of honour," said Lord Castleton, with a bow of ambiguity.

"Your niece, my lord! Good heavens! Lady Hungerford your niece! What a mistake. Upon my soul I did not intend it, indeed could not have known it. I am sure your lordship that is, I beg pardon; I assure you it shall all be set to rights immediately."

"Not the least harm's done," said Lord Castleton, with great composure; " and Lady Hungerford is so benevolent, that if to abuse her and her parties every day will do you or your paper any good, or raise your reputation as the director of public opinion, and above all, of public taste, I will answer for it she will give you carte blanche; so make yourself easy."

*Then the most fashionable morning paper.

As considerable mirth ensued upon this, Paragraph did not know how to take it; nor whether it emanated from great good-nature, or great contempt. For the first he bowed; from fear of the last, he reddened; and at length, receiving no relief, applied to Granville for help, exclaiming,

"My dear Granville, I am sure you will answer for it, that I could not mean the least disrespect to his lordship or Lady Hungerford, only— I really don't know how to apologize but, God bless

my soul, how late it is."

And (the pendule just then striking eleven) he rushed out of the room, his ears regaled all the way through the hall, by the hearty laughs of those he left behind.

"I trust," said Lord Grandison, "the lesson this poor man has received will do him good."

"I doubt it," observed Lord Castleton, "from Granville's account of him; for to Granville we owe the honour he has done us to-day."

"Wait till his next paper comes out," said Granville, "before we pronounce."

The paper did come out, with a long leading article on the miserable state of English society, from the unbearable insolence of the aristocracy, particularly of those in office, and the total want of taste, elegance, and manners, in the ladies who pretend to call themselves women of fashion.

When we broke up, I said to Granville, who took me home,

"How I envy you men of the town your opportunities for knowledge. Here, in my innocence, I have been for years thinking a newspaper critic a sort of a literary god, or at least a sage and profound judge, whom all the world are bound to reverence. Can this be a specimen of

them ? "

"Certainly not," said Granville; "for you see he is of an inferior class, who make up in impudence what they want in sense, and he shewed himself off accordingly, as an ass in fine trappings. There are, luckily, many totally opposite to him-real scholars, and real gentlemen, whom it is both pleasure and advantage to know, and whose manners are far different from those of this slimy caterpillar, who bedaubs every thing he crawls over. are, however, too many like him in the lower classes of the press, and to study the character of one of these critics of what we call the shop, would give you both amusement and useful knowledge."

There

"I have heard something of it from Mr. Manners, and have been shocked with it," returned I. "I should be glad, however, to be instructed in what seems such a mystery."

66

Possibly I may help you," said Granville, " by

introducing you to an old fellow-gownsman of mine, with whom I was at Trinity, before I was of All Souls, and who called upon me the other day. His profession has been that of a critic for these last ten years; but I fear he is much the worse for He can, however, tell much of the prisonhouse if he pleases."

wear.

"I should like to know him," said I.