assume the initiative. At last, one rising from his chair, who perhaps
began to view the affair temperately, observed, "Well, I think we had
better see about the packet-boat for Brighton before it is too late,"
and they all quitted the room, except the elderly gentlemen and myself,
and he did certainly animadvert most severely against what he termed
their unchristianlike toast. Although it was impossible for me, feeling
as I did, otherwise than to agree with him on the principal points of
his argument, yet I observed that we might hope that it was merely in
words that the gentlemen would evince the violence of their prejudices,
as I felt convinced, from the general amiability of character so
apparent in the person who proposed the toast, that if he saw a
Frenchman in danger of his life, and that an exertion could save him,
that Mr. Lewis would use every effort to preserve a human being from
destruction, whatever might be his country.

The other circumstance to which I am about to advert was less his
surprising, though equally powerful, in illustrating the strong tendency
towards prejudice against the French on the part of the English people,
the hero of my tale being a regular country squire, extremely kind
hearted, but whose fund of information did not extend much beyond his
estate, his horses and his hounds; not any consideration would have
induced him to quit England, but that of saving the life of an
individual, for whom, however worthless and ungrateful, he still
retained a sentiment of pity; a young man, whom he had brought up and
educated, in return for his kindness forged his name, and the evidence
of the squire was all that was requisite to hang him, therefore, as an
effectual means of avoiding to be forced to appear against him, he
quitted England; and, as France was the nearest, he there took up his
abode. A friend of mine, a Capt. W., who had resided long in France,
received a letter of introduction to the squire; although living at a