natured—'
'Ay, ay,' cried the musician, 'abuse my credulity as much as you please, but give me credit for my good intentions at least.'
'I do, I do,' said Musquito:—
'You intend very well, I dare say, when you praise a man's wisdom, and so you do when you praise his folly. In short, in you human nature has such an advocate, that there is scarcely a vice or a virtue that you have not a commendation for!'

'Poor Musquito,' cried Toogood, 'now upon my soul thy shafts must be terribly blunt when thou canst find nothing better to aim them at than me. I own my services are devoted to all who think proper to make use of them.'
'If they are rich,' answered Musquito drily; 'for you know Toogood why should the poor be flattered?'—

'Plague take you,' said the musician, 'I was going to say that I wish to be civil to all mankind, and if I have, in a few trifling instances, been mistaken, blame nature, who thought fit to sow in the garden of life, among a plentiful crop of valuable plants, a slight sprinkling of rascals and scoundrels. In short, Mr. Musquito, I would not give up the luxury of thinking well of mankind, to have Mexico for my real estate, Peru for my personal, and the mines of Golconda for my menu plaisirs. What the devil would you have me think, as you do, that every eye is divine into my heart, and every hand into my pocket?'
'Neither would be worth while, Master Toogood'—cried Musquito.
'Come, come,' said Ego, 'I will finish the dispute. This is the fact: you, Mr. Musquito, are over suspicious; and you, Mr. Toogood, are over credulous. I am the man for this world: I steer the middle course.'

This company, upon Lady Hazard's recovery, separated into two parties; one of which set off for the seat of my lord, and the other for that of the baronet; till at length, by the ringing of bells and the acclamations of all the inhabitants, they were welcomed to Little Hockley and Castlewick.
Sir Sidney threw his eyes complacently around

him, which sparkled with the satisfaction of beholding so many sincere adherents; and he did not at that moment a little plume himself upon the hope of seeing his friend in possession of the same solid