fancy, which part he digested as deliberately as the rest. Taking therefore an opportunity one day, when the physician advised him to try the air of Montpelier, he thus opened his mind to his friend Figgins.

'My dear sir, it would be but a poor return to your warm and unshaken friendship, merely to say it will ever be remembered by me with that sort of heart-felt pleasure every thing gives me that originates from such handsome and liberal principles. It would however be taking a very unfriendly advantage of you if I could be so unreasonable as to requite so much generosity by suffering you to neglect and injure your affairs on my account.


'My father has settled on you an annuity, to which is now annexed no conditions on your side of attention to me; for he being dead, his kindness must naturally be considered as a remembrance of past, instead of a reward for present, services: but as I know your worthy heart will not let you regard yourself as entitled to this esteem, unless you acquit your conscience of receiving it upon any other principle than that of desert, instead of throwing away your time on me—time which, at your season of life, must be very precious to you, and which you can without doubt employ to greater advantage in the bosom of your family and affairs—you shall keep a constant correspondence with me, and I will promise to profit by that advantage as much as my capacity and abilities permit me: so now do not take it unkind that I should have resolved to pursue my travels alone, but rather let me have your excuse that I have already taken up so much of your time, to your prejudice.'

It happened luckily for Mr. Figgins, that this was the very subject he had himself been two or three times on the point of broaching, but he felt so awkward about it that he could not for the soul of him tell how to begin. Having however the ice broken for him, he did not scruple to acknowledge

that his affairs at home were rather in a disordered condition, and that he sincerely believed, were he on the spot, a certain bishop would at that time have an opportunity of promoting him: but yet he could not think of leaving his dear, his honoured friend; it would look as if he was of a piece with the rest of the world, and had basely deserted his cause.

'Your own heart and my experience of your generous friendship will, my dear Figgins,' said Charles, 'acquit you; for, after all, what signifies what all the world