modern times, and thought of their iron ancestors, I have wondered."

It must be owned that this speech of the Earl, was a tribute wrung from him at the moment by the force of sentiment; for though he was far too lofty to lose time in the antechambers of office, which all flew open to him as if by magic, at his approach, not a man in the state was so devoted to political intrigues, or the little managements of patronage which he thus affected to despise.

De Vere knew this and smiled, but could not help feeling the force of his observation, which was so much in unison with his own, that he brooded over it a minute, and remembered it on many an occasion afterwards.

At length breaking silence, "Your new philosophy," said he, " sits well upon you, and is no doubt prompted by the place. How far it would hold at Whitehall might be made a question."

"Ay! that confounded Whitehall," replied the Earl; "why have you conjured it up to dissipate the dreams which this noble place and its youthful mistress have created? But you are just embarking in the world; I have seen, encountered, and, shall I own? am tired of it."

"For a tired man, however," replied De Vere, "I think your Lordship is still tolerably vigorous, for nothing seems to go on without you." "So people are pleased to say," replied the Earl.

"And do they not say true?"

"If they would imply that this satisfies me," continued Cleveland, "certainly not."

"And why not ?"

"I scarcely know, for every thing seems to prosper; yet, knowing your integrity, to you I can own, that with the whole world seemingly at my foot-I am not happy."

De Vere could only listen in silence.

"I have things pressing upon me,” continued Cleveland, "which draw me different ways, and tear me to picces between them. Perhaps I want your advice; but I trust I am not intruding upon you, unwelcome egotism. I hope I am not wrong in counting you, if only as your uncle's nephew, among my friends ?"

He said this enquiringly, and De Vere felt embarrassed; but with a clearness in being true to himself, which will always unravel the most entangled embarrassment, saw at once the conduct he ought to pursue.

Fixing a steady eye, therefore, upon Lord Cleveland, he replied, "Forgive me if I answer you as solemnly as you have addressed me; and say, that if the confidence you are so good as to propose to me, will compromise any duty I may owe to another, or any feeling of my own, I request you not to proceed."

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Abrupt enough," said the Earl, with a disappointed, and rather a high air.

"How

ever, I will not be checked, by this seeming repulse, in my wish to engage an honourable man as my friend, and doing him good, if I can.”

De Vere bowed with real thanks for his good will, but still cautioned him not to entrust any thing to him which it might be his duty not to conceal.

"I will run all risks," replied Lord Cleveland," and if it make you my friend, they will be well run. But this is too open a place, and I request you to step into the cabinet which is allotted to me here for a dressing-room.'

"

De Vere complied, and Cleveland then informed him, that should the present minister resign, as was expected, from ill health, he had himself been informed, that he was to be in part intrusted with the arrangement of a new

B 5

ministry, in which he supposed he could take what post he pleased for himself, as well as provide as he wished for others.

Seeing De Vere fixed in attention, he added that as his informer was only second to the sovereign himself, there could be no doubt about the fact, and that as such, he had been treated with by others. Two great alliances, he said, courted him; Lord Oldcastle's, (whence the hurried visit of his son,) and Mr. Wentworth's, whom he knew De Vere very much admired; that to close with both, he feared, was impossible; since, were he inclined to it, one would not bear an equal, nor the other a superior; that he was thus disappointed in his very finest schemes, as Lord Oldcastle carried most votes; while Mr. Wentworth was so highly gifted, and, from his eloquence, so powerful in the Commons, that to lose him would lose the greatest support on which he would rely.

With all he most wished, therefore, seemingly within his grasp, he saw nothing but constant battle and danger; and though on the eve of gratifying his fondest ambition, it only harassed him with fears and vexation. At the same time, if he must make an election, he

foresaw a more tranquil state of things by allying himself with Lord Oldcastle, in consequence of his great parliamentary strength, than with the other, who was almost a new man, and whose power, though great in debate, was comparatively little in votes.

Lord Cleveland was proceeding, when De Vere interrupted him.

"Excuse me," said he, " if I request you to go no farther. For while I feel that I am not of consequence enough to be the confidant of secrets so important, far less to be consulted, yet, as the very listening to them under the seal of secrecy might appear to enlist me in a party, a thing which I am desirous to avoid, I ought for my own sake to decline the honour you are doing me. It is otherwise too, only fair to inform you that my admiration of Mr. Wentworth is such, that were I disposed blindly to follow any person, it would be him; and I own myself concerned at what your lordship has let fall as to a determination not to act with him.”

Lord Cleveland bit his lips almost through at this intimation. He found, what is perhaps the greatest mortification to a politician, that he had been betrayed by his wishes into a