A determined taste for Old Women.

so fascinating, that the Duke began to fancy there must be something peculiarly attractive in the possession of old wo

men!

He therefore attached himself for some time to the old Countess of Harborough, to the great grief of Mrs. O'Meara; she, however, had soon the happiness of recalling the wanderer, and he became more firmly her captive than ever; but the demon of caprice soon raised up another and more powerful rival in the Marchioness of Westbourn; for her mental charms were united to personal in an imminent degree, and Lady Westbourn, though past fifty, gained a complete triumph over the wayward heart of the amorous Duke.

The course of love, a learned writer remarks, is never to run smooth. The town rang with an event, which had recently taken place, and, as a scandalous

An English Ninon.

anecdote was ever welcome at the Duchess of Pyrmont's breakfast table, her favourite emigré Count had given it to her, with several embellishments; and the Duchess called Lord Westbourn a brute, while Lady Charlotte blushed at the conduct of his lady. The truth was literally thus..

The Duke of Kersbruch, enraptured with the attractions of the Marchioness of Westbourn, followed her like her shadow, was incessantly at the countryhouse of the Marquis, where he had very seldom been before; till at length, Lord Westbourn, having, it is imagined, seen some little liberties taken with his venerable moitie, which he did not altogether approve, in as polite terms as he could to a man of the Duke's high rank, gave him to understand that his visits would be easily dispensed with in future; but this English Ninen, was not so easily given up by her enamoured lover; and

A Dismission.

at the superb town mansion, in one of the fashionable squares, the husband found this highly-favoured cicisbeo in a situation with his wife, which he conceived no man had a right to appear in but himself.

Without any respect to precedency of rank, my Lord instantly, ordered the stoutest of his servants to turn the Duke out of doors; who, hastening to his carriage, narrowly escaped a good flagellation, which they were prepared to give him in case of resistance.

This affair was soon buzzed through the metropolis; much to the affliction of Mrs. O'Meara, and to the triumph of the Duke's enemies; it added besides new seeds of discord to the menage of the Marquis and Marchioness.

Soon after the Duchess of Pyrmont had completed her toilette, the hopes of the

An Anecdote.

family made his appearance. He entered exclaiming, "News! news! You will scarce believe what a ludicrous scene has just taken place. By heaven, I was coming through Leicester Square, and who the deuse do you think I met arm in arm, just like honest Darby and Joan, walking as fast possible, and all the little world staring at them as if they had dropped from the clouds, or as if they had imagined the noble pair did not know how to walk?-Come, now, my dear Lady Duchess, guess if you can!" "I cannot think of any Lady I am acquainted with I am sure, that would be walking this windy day." "Guess the gentleman then."

"Oh! perhaps the rich Sir Marmaduke Brooks, who walks out in an old greasy hat and a coat a cobler would not be seen in."

be no wonder, my dear

the pearl of eccentricity.

"That would

Duchess, he is

But it was no

other than the great Earl of Albania and

A Seizure.

his charming Countess! do not lift up your hands and eyes in astonishment, because they were seen walking together, but hearken to the cause.

"Lord Francis Sunbury, the Earl's brother, is most confoundedly out at elbows; an execution is lodged in his house, and, in short, as his numerous creditors cannot touch his person, they are determined to seize hold on all they can."

"The Countess this morning borrowed the carriage of Lord Francis to pay a few visits, and while she was in it, those villanous sharks laid their unhallowed hands upon it. Luckily her husband passed by at the time; handed out his trembling Countess, and with that politeness which characterises almost all the branches of his family, attended his lady home." "Politeness!" said Lady