I hoped, intended to offend, I forgave it. In fact, it was jealousy alone that made me take the umbrage I did. Had he not been Hastings, or the brother of Bertha, I should have laughed at it as heartily as himself.

Hastings had, however, another advantage over me, exclusive of his superior condition, and near connection with her who engrossed and exercised all my feelings. He seemed deeply initiated in all the mysteries of this new sphere, which I had just entered; and talked freely and quizzingly of tutors, and even of heads of houses; which to me seemed almost treason. Then as to their females, whom he quizzed too, to my astonishment (as he had the evening before seemed to be engrossed by them) he called them mere pretty fools; apes of higher models, whom they could never reach; in fact (as he styled them), mere Brummagem Duchesses.

Little indeed do these ladies, who perhaps have verses daily made to their eyebrows, and for whose smile there is often contention, know the liberties that are taken with them, by those very danglers whose attentions most excite their ambition, perhaps their affection. For they do so for mere amusement, in a place where they look in vain for their equals, and after professing themselves their admirers, laugh at, despise, and leave them.

When I expressed my surprise at this satire against persons with whom he had appeared so occupied, he laughed it off with a nonchalance which I almost envied, while I blamed it.

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My dear fellow," said he, "what can we do? These are but the sportive tricks' for which, and to court an amorous looking-glass,' the bloody and

6

deformed Richard found that he was not made, and therefore complained that he had

'No delight to pass away the time.'

could not

Hence, to use his own words, as he prove a lover, he was determined to be a villain.' Now, as to nous autres, though we are not villains, and are neither deformed nor bloody, we think we have a right to the sportive tricks denied to crookbacked Richard, and seek a little innocent flirtation to pass away the time. Nay, don't scold, for do I not give chapter and verse for it, out of the best possible authority—your own Shakspeare ?"

This off-hand rattle, though it overpowered, did not convince me that there was not something selfish and even fraudulent, to use Fothergill's stern word, in regard to Miss Meadows, in playing with another's feelings, or even her weakness, for one's own sport, though death to the other party.

Seeing I looked serious upon it, my vivacious friend went on-"Come," said he, "I see, my grave and reverend signor, that my code of morality does not square with yours, and is disapproved by the sage philosophers of Cumberland and Queen's. Yet I would wager that you cannot convict me of unfair dealing; for am I doing more than standing in selfdefence ?"

"Self-defence ?"

"Yes! as I will prove to any person of candour, though not perhaps to a fellow of Queen's, or emphatically to that sour tutor of yours, Bothergill, or Fothergill, or whatever his name is, who seems, whenever we see him, to be, ficulnus et inutile lignam, stuck up to frighten us fluttering birds."

I was more and more astonished, nay horrified at this licentious attack on my tutor, by my once sober and sentimental friend. However, conscious as I then felt myself of my own inferior breeding, I supposed it one of the privileges of a superioris Ordinis Commenselis, and I told him so.

"No! indeed," said he, "for every one, in this college at least, thinks Fothergill a mere sour krout ; and as to the females, who seem to have won you for their knight, what would you yourself do if you saw one of these dashing girls, acting with the permission, perhaps encouragement, of both her honoured parents, full of a deep design upon your sweet person? Don't start, for I only mean in a lawful indeed no other would suit her purpose, or that of her reverend Well, upon the strength of her own pretty person, and a sort of fashion about her from putting her clothes on well, she has become the toast of the university, from Christ Church down to I beg pardon, I must not say Queen's, but, for illustration's sake, will specify Alban Hall."

papa and mamma.

way:

Somewhat hurt, I bowed my thanks for sparing my college pride; yet I was amused, and though at the same time startled, I continued to listen.

"Well," added he, "this acknowledged College Princess, not unnaturally, thinks the whole university, all the doctors, both the proctors, and, what is far better, all the grand compounders, gentlemen commoners, and even all the noblemen, at her feet. She is the Grand Turk in petticoats, and thinks she may throw her handkerchief to whom she pleases. She throws it to me, and if I catch it and play with it, nay keep it for a time, without meaning to pocket it, am I to be blamed for enjoying the amusement she so freely

offers? After all, these ladies are mere belles de garnison, and Oxford is in this respect no more than a garrison. A flirtation, therefore, is only a passetems on both sides. It is true it ends sometimes in a mariage de garnison, which is proverbial for a mèsalliance; but of this I, at least, will not be an example. For be assured, I am not in the least disposed to fall really in love with second-hand people!"

“I at least admire your superior taste, as well as your prudence," said I," and your comparison of yourself with bloody Richard, as well as Oxford with country quarters, is singularly illustrative."

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"I thought I should convince you," proceeded he, affecting to take me literally, " and, to recur again to our old master, you will own, it is the sport to have the engineer hoist with his own petard.”

Shall I confess that, what with this reckless gaiety, which also sat so easy upon him that he seemed assured of being in the right, and what with (by no means the smallest cause) his vast superiority of condition, now opening upon me more and more, from the licence it seemed to give him, I had nothing to reply; and though I did not descend to the meanness of flattering him by allowing he was right, I was confused enough, or coward enough, not to be able to tell him how he was wrong. I fell into a reverie upon the changes, great and glaring, which the difference of our educations, as well as lots in the world, had occasioned in so short a time, and sat dumb, and I fear stupid, before this specimen of what I thought the spoiled children of the world.

Hastings seemed fully conscious of his superiority; and my feeling that he was so, gave me no pleasure; so that it was a relief to me when his servant came in

with "Mi Lor Albany's compliment, and Monsieur Douce vas wait for to give de leçon of de box."

"Ha!" said he, "I am summoned, and am afraid must leave you, which I know you will excuse, as you were always a good boy, and regular at lecture."

So saying, he shook hands cordially enough, and reaching a pair of mufflers which hung over his chimney-piece, we proceeded down stairs together, he to his noble friend and fellow pupil, to what he called lecture, I to ponder all these novelties, which, in truth, caused me much thought, in a slow and moody retreat to my college.