peril therefore that you act upon them, if peril there be."

"I understand you," returned Cleveland, attempting to resume his gay and disembarrassed air; “and, perhaps after all, I may not feel seriously enough in love to proceed with my design. I shall be guided by the changes and chances I may observe; and indeed the state of politics I have opened to you, (trepanned into so doing by that Solomon, Lord Mowbray,) would at any rate materially interfere with the prosecution of my views; for as you see, I am here to-day and may be gone to-morrow. However, I allow," (and here all his sarcastic tone returned to him,) "you steady old fellows, who are above love and ambition, have the best of it. It is only for such youngsters as Eustace and me, who have our fortunes to make, to watch the changes of the world."

So saying, with a mixture of picque and gaiety he rang for his Frenchman, and with a forced indifference of manner, said he must prepare for a riding party which had been projected soon after breakfast.

The pride of De Vere was excited, and he took his leave with some stiffness, which Cleve

land returned with his very loftiest manner; and throwing himself into a chair, exhibited a copy of the physiognomy attributed to the dæmon of pride himself,

"Thrice changed with pale, ire, envy, and despair."

CHAPTER II.

A BIRTHDAY.

What a sweep of vanity comes this way!

SHAKSPEARE.

WHERE a man has been taught to school his features by long habits of dissimulation, whether practised in court or country, it is not easy to detect even the stronger passions, by what is passing on the surface. We pretend not to enter into the deep and interesting question, (of no little consequence to human nature,) on the preference to be given to that prudence which can always dissemble our feelings, or that silly openness (as very prudent people like to call it,) which makes it impossible to hide a strong and sincere emotion. Those who wish to see the superiority of dissembling openness demonstrated with admirable force, may consult the philosopher of flattery

over

and dissimulation, Chesterfield; and if they wish to contemplate it in practice, they may look at Clayton.

It is very certain, that in point of meritorious force of mind and heroic command of one's self, the dissembler carries it hollow; and these superiorities all belonged to Lord Cleveland over De Vere, when both issued forth to join the riding party for which we left the former preparing at the end of the last chapter. For though, when he threw himself into his chair, after his conversation with Mortimer, we compared Lord Cleveland to something very like the Prince of Darkness, it is certain he appeared on the Esplanade, under the Castle Terrace, (where the company mounted their horses and carriages,) with all the ease and nonchalance of a person who had no secret care gnawing at his heart. Within a few minutes' interval, he had no eye but for his mistress, no wish but for pleasure. On the other hand De Vere, who was an unwilling member of the party, without having felt half Cleveland's violence of emotion during the conversation, was sufficiently moved with it to be unable to repress his reflections. He was thoughtful, unobservant, and abstracted.

Thus the one, to beguile the time looked like the time, while the face of the other was

"As a book, where men

May read strange matters."

Every thing indeed, seemed joyous but himself, and Lord Cleveland most joyous of all. Clayton, to be sure, had not yet relaxed his brow, which had been knit from the moment of Cleveland's arrival. But he sought not De Vere as his companion, though he always met him with the usual smile. He had more interest in endeavouring to sound Eustace, to whom, from the hints he had gathered of high impending changes, he resolved to lay close siege. He so far succeeded as to seduce that eager young person into a separate discussion on the state of parties; a point which he found the more easy, because in fact, Eustace was not able to think of any thing else.

De Vere, indeed, aided his cousin to mount her beautiful palfrey, which she did, and managed it with the air of a Diana; but having seen her seated, he chose for himself the office of driving the Marchioness and Lady Eleanor in an open landau. So that, except when her fa