a just estimate of his character, the reader will hardly fail
to observe that those sentiments were entertained at a time of
life when, for the most part, the heart is too little capable
of expansion to open to new attachments. The whole tone of
these letters must prove the unimpaired warmth of his
feelings, and form a striking contrast to the cold harshness
of which he has been accused, in his
intercourse with Madame du Deffand, at an earlier period of
his life. This harshness, as was noticed by the editor of
Madame du Deffand's letters, in the preface to that
publication, proceeded solely from a dread of ridicule, which
formed a principal feature of Mr. Walpole's character, and
which, carried, as in his case, to excess, must be called a
principal weakness. "This accounts for the ungracious
language in which he so often replies to the importunities of
her anxious affection; a language so foreign to his heart, and
so contrary to his own habits in friendship." (7)

Is this, then, the man who is supposed to be "the most
eccentric, the most artificial, the most fastidious, the most
capricious of mortals? -his mind a bundle of inconsistent
whims and affectations-his features covered with mask within
mask, which, when the outer disguise of obvious affectation
was removed, you were still as far as ever from seeing the
real man."-"Affectation is the essence of the man. It pervades
all his thoughts and all his expressions. If it were taken
away, nothing would be left." (8)

He affected nothing; he played no part; he was what he
appeared to be. Aware that he was ill qualified for politics,