self, would sometimes perhaps give himself airs which the merchant would not like,-would never, if he had any pluck in him, submit to be ill-treated; and his security in this respect he would of course ascertain beforehand. Sometimes, too, a very noble father-in-law might have a very weak pericranium, and find it a good thing to be directed by his cleverer son-in-law. A minister of state might even find his account in an alliance with a moneyed aristocrat; nay, in associating him with himself in the ministry. In our mixed constitution, also, with such a mingling of democracy in Parliament, a man of parliamentary influence, or parliamentary eminence, might laugh at the highest peer who was a devotee of political ambition and should presume to despise him.

"But in all these cases you see inequality is only partial, and no inequality on the whole. What is wanting in one point is made up by another; hence the alliance is willingly formed; and once entered upon, it would be foolish to disturb it with jealousies. And yet for all this, where vanity, or the prejudices of high fashion or high blood, are concerned, I doubt the cordiality of such alliances, even where ever so necessary."

"Would not this," said I, "extend itself to friendships and intimacies? And yet, as well as in marriages, how often have we seen the closest alliance between the most unequal conditions-brilliant genius and high literary fame balancing all the advantages of the proudest station, over humble birth, and original mediocrity of pursuits. What an example of

this do we find in the high friendships formed by Pope with the greatest of both sexes! What a proof of it in the "Matt" and " Henry" of Prior and Bolingbroke ! but, above all, in the rise to the very pinnacle of glory in society of an unequalled meteor, now coursing through the heavens, though only a player's son !"

"You mean Sheridan," returned Fothergill smiling; "and I see you have well, and no more than rightly, examined the chances of learning and genius to rank themselves with men of fashion, statesmen, and even princes. Keep them before you by all means; but do not let the few examples there are of this kind dazzle you; neither overrate the examples themselves, which, upon closer investigation, may not prove all they appear to be; for how soon was "Matt" abandoned by Henry" when their common party was ruined, and the inferior (Matt) was no longer necessary! Instead of lamenting his death, or even commonly respecting his memory, "Henry" quizzed "Matt" for his bad epitaph upon

himself.

"As to Pope, he had made himself too independent of the great, in point of fortune, for the inequalities in that respect to be felt, or even almost to exist; so that his superiority in fame had no drawback. Besides, neither Pope nor Prior was married."

"Can that make any difference?"

"More, perhaps, than you are aware of; for a wife brings these inequalities sooner to the test than any other touchstone. A duke, or the most dandy member of White's, may not be above-nay, may feel a sort of complacency in walking arm-in-arm with some

very brilliant genius of the age, although of commonplace connections; his privilege of exclusion may even stand the awkwardness of being visited by him in his box at the opera. But if the genius have a wife, how will it fare with her? Will the duke, or the dandy, submit to shew the same attentions to a lady whom nobody knows? or if they do occasionally (to serve a turn), will their own wives or daughters, because they bear with, nay, perhaps, condescend to be civil to, the lion at their husband's dinner-table, be equally prompt to receive the lioness in their own drawingrooms? Assure yourself this is far overstepping the rights of men of learning and genius,' who, as far as their intimacies are concerned, are supposed to be always in a state of celibacy, and to have no females belonging to them."

6

I laughed at this sally, and was about to reply, but he had always chapter and verse, and went on with an anecdote of a passage between a certain great political peer (a friend of Lord Castleton) and an eloquent member of his party, more celebrated for his abilities than his family or station in life. "How can I shew you,' said the peer, my admiration of your talents! your eloquence! or thank you sufficiently for the services you render to your party?' To be approved by such a friend is reward enough,' returned Mr. M- 'but if Mrs. M— might be allowed the honour of the protection of the marchioness, it would be a great gratification.' The marquess changed colour; shook his head with great solemnity, and, shrugging his shoulders in a sort of despair, and a long.

drawn 'Ah—you know, my dear friend,' observed he, these things are the exclusive province of the ladies, and husbands never interfere. It is the only thing in which her ladyship never allows me any authority.' Mr. M had nothing left for it but to submit, and follow, as before, respectfully in the wake of the marquess."

"This is a sorry picture," said I," and would deter any man of spirit from forming such an intimacy; but this, at least, cannot apply to the illustrious author and senator (illustrious with all his faults) whom I just now mentioned; for both he and his wife, as I have heard from Granville, had almost equal fascinations, and were at the very head of fashionable life."

"That," replied Fothergill," is not quite correct as to her, though she had all of what you properly have called fascination, to which I, who know her, can bear witness. But I can tell you that she, and her husband too, were not without their mortifications in this very respect, particularly in the earlier stages of their progress from very humble beginnings. Thus, when one of those dazzling comedies, which first founded his reputation, had made all the world mad for his acquaintance, and her uncommon beauty-amounting to the angelic-and accomplishments, which threw every other person's into shade, had almost equalled her with him in attraction; still there was a doubt or hesita- . tion as to their admission into the higher circles, in which it was some time before they got a permanent

footing. I have heard that the Duchess of Devonshire long hesitated as to the propriety of inviting to her house two persons of such equivocal rank, as he and his wife were at that time considered.'*

"Although, therefore, they broke through the spell, (particularly Sheridan himself, from his overpowering abilities and fame), the lady, at least, does not seem to have rested her happiness upon her reception in the high world. It, indeed, grew less and less towards her decease, which has been affectingly described by one of her friends who was near her. 'She left rings to Mr. and Mrs. Leigh, and positively forbids any others being given on any pretence, evidently precluding all her fine friends from this last mark of her esteem and approbation. She had, poor thing, with some justice, turned from them all in disgust, and, during her illness, never mentioned them with regard or kindness.' +

"Sheridan himself, indeed, soared to the highest pitch of both fashionable and political society, and in some measure (but not either uniformly or universally) carried his wife along with him; but it was parliamentary reputation, and consequent political influence, that enabled him to do this. For though his literary splendour will be felt and remembered long after his political career may be forgotten, yet I doubt, if he had been only a man of wit and letters, however exquisite in both, if he (and still less his wife, fascinat

* Moore's "Life of Sheridan."

† Moore,-302.