Aye, good Welburn; but you will see a few of the natives at our house to-night. Amongst these, take notice of a Dr. and Mrs. Delby. He is an original; and she--but I shall not anticipate ;-look--hear -and make your observations."

CHAPTER IX.

First let me talk with this philosopher.
Say, Stagyrite, what is the cause of thunder ?

KING LEAR.

THE day before Mr. Welburn's departure, Dr. Sanwell invited to his house some of the principal inhabitants of Torley; and a party of twenty were, in the evening, assembled in the Doctor's drawing-room.

The ease and nonchalance which now prevails in fashionable society, was not at that time known amongst the good people of Torley. There were no prints or new publications lying carelessly upon the Doctor's tables, nor new music placed open on

the piano, or music desks, for the relief of those addicted to yawning. The chairs were stationed at regular intervals round the room, and every little straggling book had been carefully removed before the arrival of company, and carried into the Doctor's study; the shells on the chimney-piece had been dusted, and carefully drawn up for the inspection of the curious; and at half-past five the Dr. and Mrs. Sanwell were ready to receive company.

At six they began to arrive, and in halfan-hour every one occupied his chair; and a conversation upon the weather and the new arrivals began with infinite spirit. At some dread intervals, indeed, the eyes of all were, as if with one consent, turned upon the fire, and there was a dead silence--the fire blazed as cheerfully as before, and the feast of reason commenced again. Henry surveyed the characters around him, and he found, in many of them, counterparts of those which he had

seen in the town of Dalsy. They had dif ferent faces, but nothing, he thought, either> in their mind or countenance to fix his attention. They were just good sort of peo-> ple, who were going to their graves in a regular quiet way, without any desire to: do harm, and desiring to do good when it was not expensive, and would give them. little trouble.

Henry sat between two young ladies, the eldest of whom had a handsome face, and was dressed very splendidly. He had not been introduced to either; but he felt that it was his duty to address one of them, and he did not wish to be set down at once for a stupid fellow. He turned himself a little on his chair, and crossing his leg, addressed her on the state of the weather, with some timidity. The young lady was daughter of an attorney, and had been at a London boarding-school; timidity in her, therefore, was out of the question. She had an artificial polish, which gave to a

nicety the mechanism of conversation, without any of its soul, or sentiment; she spoke correctly, and with a fashionable. lisp of indolence, which was meant to fas.. cinate her auditors. "It has been a delightful day for walking," said Henry. "A very fine day," said the lady.

"There appear to be many delightful walks about Torley."

"I believe there are; I have walked very little since I came from town; I ne ver do walk-I don't like it, I prefer riding on the sands."

"The beach is very fine."

"Yes; mama likes to go on the beach in the carriage, and the sea air is so delightfully reviving when it blows gently upon your cheeks, I like it prodigiously."

At the word cheeks, Henry involuntarily looked at those of his fair neighbour. "What a fine colour!" thought he. The idea of rouge never entered his brain."There appears very little company here. at present."

4