master's own resolution, who, I supposed, knew best what best agreed with him.

"No he don't though," replied the valet governor, "and you may soon find that out if you come along with us. People as has nothing to do but eat their dinners never know how to please themselves in that even, let alone other things. I think it a little odd you should know master better than me, who have served him ten years; however, I suppose we must go, and so I won't take no more trouble about it.”

This was said with a mixture of huffishness with goodnature, and being wholly unchecked by his master, I found the latter was in one of those domestic dilemmas from which few can deliver themselves-that of being governed by his servant. I was only fearful that Mr. John would consider and therefore hate me, as a rival—which might disturb my quiet at the Hermitage, to which I had begun to look forward with some pleasure.

However, I left my friend fully resolved upon the plan he had proposed, and preparing to think instantly of a scheme for our studies, in which, if he had but such a companion, he said, as I, he was sure he should make great progress.

The next day we set off for Surry; and upon our arrival at the end of the private way to the house, out of the high road to Ryegate, near which it was situated, we were stopped some time by the gate, which, instead of being erect, lay flat across the entrance—in fact, torn from its remaining hinge, the other having long been broken, without being renewed. This pro

duced an actual scold (a bold exertion) from Sir Simeon to John.

"Have I not often told you," said he," to get that unfortunate gate mended ?"

"Yes!" replied John, "but you as often told me not to do it, for you wanted an alteration, and would plan it yourself, which you never did."

Sir Simeon was dumb.

Having got over the interruption, we arrived at the house, which, though originally comfortable, was in a most neglected state. Several of the windows had been broken, and the panes replaced with oiled paper, which having again been blown in by the wind, was now flapping about in most comfortless disorder. The whole front seemed to have been a stranger to paint for several years, and the frames of the windows and doors exhibited not a few symptoms of dry-rot.

Had my friend been a miser, which he was not, I should have set this down to niggardliness. But I soon discovered that it arose from the same source as all his other faults-procrastination. He confessed that he had designed a thorough repair for several years, and it was not therefore worth while to be troubled with a partial one; all was to be done at once. This he deferred till he should settle at what watering place he should pass the summer, while the repair was to be done in his absence; but as this never was settled, and he never had been absent, all remained as it was.

On entering the house, I discovered that John was not the only domestic who assumed a right to regulate the conduct of the master. We were met on the steps

by a tall, well-made, comely woman, with a quick eye and very active manner, with a letter in her hand which she seemed only just to have received. Not in the least minding me, she accosted her master (brandishing the letter at him) with

"This is so like you, Sir Simeon, not to give one the least notice of your meaning to return, till you come yourself, all of a jerk. I have only this moment received your letter, and if it had been written a week ago it would have been no more than was right, to get the house in order, it is in such a pickle. And as for the strange gentleman (looking at me), I don't know where to put him, for I was resolved to have the painters in the blue chamber, to keep it from perishing."

I own I was surprised at such a lecture from a housekeeper to her master, and not less at the quiescence with which he took it.

"Well," said he, "Mary, do not be angry, that's a good woman, but take it quietly; and I dare say we shall do very well, if you will only be good-humoured and exert yourself."

At this Mrs. Mary, with rather a suppressed laugh, between a smile and a sneer, retired across the hall, muttering pretty audibly, "Exert myself! Yes! I needs must, for you never do;"—and with this she vanished to give directions to her maids.

This was to me quite a new scene, but I was sorry to see it fretted my friend, who was even abashed when he led the way into a parlour that was quite dark from the shutters not yet having been opened; nor was he

consoled by Mrs. Mary's returning to perform that duty, and observing in rather a rallying tone,

"Ah! like master like man, as the saying is. No wonder we are all lazy in this house."

This, however, was qualified by a good-humoured and really taking smile (for she was extremely welllooking), as if to make up to her master for the brusquerie of her reception of him.

This smile restored the peace which I feared might have been broken, not by Sir Simeon, who exhibited much patience, but by the handsome housekeeper, who seemed to be quite sensible of the power which her beauty, or her management, or both, gave her over her chief.

Well, the room was at last set in order, and a question was made about dinner.

"What can you give us, Mary?" asked Sir Simeon coaxingly.

"Give you!" quoth the lady, resuming something of her flippancy," what can you expect? When people come without notice, they must only look for potluck, as the saying is. There is nothing in the house but cold meat, and eggs and bacon, and it is too late to send to Ryegate to the butcher's."

Sir Simeon looked at me inquiringly, and I thought it right, in a tone which, had it been to a duchess, could not have been more civil, to assure Mrs. Mary that nothing could be more agreeable to my taste than what she had proposed, particularly accompanied as it was with so much neatness, and such a kind welcome as she had shewn.

This drew another smile from the concierge, who even dropt me a courtesy, said I was very polite, and she would endeavour to find me a comfortable room, though the blue one was, as she observed, all, she did not know how.

"She is a good creature," said Sir Simeon, as she left the room,“ only a little touchy now and then, when she is put out, as it must be owned she has been by so sudden an arrival."

To this I assented, and my friend, to pass the time while dinner was getting ready, proposed to shew me his garden. Here was wild work; it was indeed "unweeded, and grown to seed;" nettles and thistles in as much or more abundance than coleworts or cauliflowers. The roses were stifled by field poppies, and the sweet violet by quitch-grass. The walks, too, which had once been gravel, were entirely covered and wet with moss; yet there were two men and a boy apparently at work, and Sir Simeon told me he was passionately fond of gardens. What is more, I really believe he was so, but it was of those which

"Live in description, and look green in song."

In fact, I observed, in the course of a very few days, that the passion was solely in the imagination, which indeed allowed him charmingly to lounge on a sofa, and drink the pages of Virgil and De Lisle, without troubling himself with spades or pruning-knives. To bestir himself personally, or do more than express a