highness, after passing a sleepless night in vain
conjectures, despatched at an early hour, one of his privy-
counsellors to Brummel, offering _carte blanche_ if he would
disclose the secret of that mysterious cravat. But the
"_atrox animus Catonis_" disdained the bribe. He preferred
being supplicated, to being bought, by kings. "Go," said he
to the messenger, with the spirit of Marius mantling in his
veins, "Go, and tell _you_r master that you have seen _his_
master."

For the truth of another anecdote, connected with this
cravat, we have indisputable evidence. A young nobleman of
distinguished talents and high pretensions as to fortune and
rank, saw this fatal band, and eager to advance himself in
the rolls of fashion, retired to his chamber to endeavour to
penetrate the method of its construction. He tried every sort
of known, and many sorts of unknown stiffeners to accomplish
the end--paper and pasteboard, and wadding, shavings, and
shingles, and planks,--all were vainly experienced. Gargantua
could not have exhibited a greater invention of expedients
than he did; but vainly. After a fortnight of the closest
application, ardour of study and anxiety of mind combined,
brought him to the brink of the grave. His mother having
ascertained the origin of his complaint, waited upon Brummel,
who was the only living man that could remove it. She
implored him, by every human motive, to say but one word, to
save the life of her son and prevent her own misery. But the
tyrant was immoveable, and the young man expired a victim of
his sternness.