 the calm magnanimity of a veteran statesman; and emulating the
decided conduct and steady indifference of age, rather than yielding to
the warmth of temper natural to five and twenty, he was considered as a
very rising and promising young man by the grave politicians with whom
he associated, and by those of his own age a supercilious and solemn
coxcomb.

He had studied the characters of the two Miss Delameres, and found that
of the eldest the fittest for his purpose; tho' the person of the
youngest, and the pride which encased the heart of the other, would have
made a less able politician decide for Augusta. But he saw that the very
pride which seemed an impediment to his hopes, might, under proper
management, contribute to their success. He saw that she really loved
nobody but herself; that her personal vanity was greater than the pride
of her rank; and that her heart was certainly on that side assailable.
He therefore, by distant hints and sighs, affected concealment; and
artful speeches gave her to understand that all his prudence had not
been able to defend him from the indiscretion of a hopeless passion.

While he was contented to call it hopeless, Miss Delamere, tho' long
partial to Fitz-Edward, could not refuse herself the indulgence of
hearing it; and at length grew so accustomed to allow him to talk to her
of his unbounded and despairing love, that she found it very
disagreeable to be without him.

He saw, that unless a title and great estate crossed his path, his
success, tho' it might be slow, was almost certain. But he was obliged
to proceed with caution; notwithstanding he would have been very glad
to have secured his prize before the return of Delamere to his family
threw an obstacle in his way which was the most formidable he had to
contend with.

He affected, however, the utmost anxiety to discover him; and recited to
Lord Montreville an exhortation he intended to pronounce to him, if he
should be fortunate enough to do so.

Nothing could be a greater proof of his Lordship's opinion of Crofts
than his entrusting him with a commission, which, if successful, could
hardly fail of irritating the fiery and ungovernable temper of Delamere,
and driving him into excesses which it would require all the philosophic
steadiness of Crofts to support without resentment.

While Sir Richard and his two sons therefore set about the difficult
task of finding Delamere, Lord Montreville went himself to Fitz-Edward;
but heard that for many days he had not been at his apartments, that he
had taken no servants with him, and that
