 Forester was incapable of giving Mr. Falkland that degree
either of pain or pleasure, which can raise the soul into a tumult and deprive
it for a while of tranquillity and self-command.
    Our visitor was a man, notwithstanding appearances, of a peculiarly sociable
disposition, and, where he was neither interrupted nor contradicted,
considerably loquacious. He began to feel himself painfully out of his element
upon the present occasion. Mr. Falkland was devoted to contemplation and
solitude. He put upon himself some degree of restraint upon the arrival of his
kinsman, though even then his darling habits would break out. But when they had
seen each other a certain number of times, and it was sufficiently evident that
the society of either would be a burthen rather than a pleasure to the other,
they consented by a sort of silent compact that each should be at liberty to
follow his own inclination. Mr. Falkland was in a sense the greatest gainer by
this. He returned to the habits of his choice, and acted as nearly as possible
just as he would have done if Mr. Forester had not been in existence. But the
latter was wholly at a loss. He had all the disadvantages of retirement, without
being able, as he might have done at his house, to bring his own associates or
his own amusements about him.
    In this situation he cast his eyes upon me. It was his principle to do every
thing that his thoughts suggested, without caring for the forms of the world. He
saw no reason why a peasant, with certain advantages of education and
opportunity, might not be as eligible a companion as a lord; at the same time
that he was deeply impressed with the venerableness of old institutions. Reduced
as he was to a kind of last resort, he found me better qualified for his purpose
than any other of Mr. Falkland's houshold.
    The manner in which he began this sort of correspondence was sufficiently
characteristical. It was abrupt; but it was strongly stamped with essential
benevolence. It was blunt and humorous; but there was attractiveness, especially
in a case of unequal intercourse, in that very rusticity by which he levelled
himself with the mass of his species. He had to reconcile himself, as well as to
invite me; not to reconcile himself to the postponing an aristocratical vanity,
for of that he had a very slender portion, but to the trouble of invitation, for
he loved his ease. All this produced some irregularity and indecision in his own
mind, and gave a very whimsical impression to his behaviour.
    On my part I was by no means
