know it, and was not introduced to him!"

I immediately assured him I never held the honours of the room
when its right mistress was in it, but that I would certainly
have named them to each other had I known he desired it.
"O, yes,"' cried he, "of all things I wished to know him. He
draws like the old masters. I have seen fragments in the style
of many of the very best and first productions of the greatest
artists of former times. He could deceive the most critical
judge. I wish greatly for a sight of his works, and for the
possession of one of them, to add to my collection, as I have
something from almost everybody else and a small sketch of his I
should esteem a greater curiosity than all the rest put
together."(246)

Moved by the justness of' this praise, I fetched him
the sweet little cadeaux so lately left me by Mr. William's
kindness. He was very much pleased, and perhaps thought I
might bestow them. O, no--not one stroke of that pencil could I
relinquish!

Another evening he gave us the history, of his way of life
at Brighthelmstone. He spoke highly of the duke, but with much
satire of all else, and that incautiously, and evidently with
an innate defiance of consequences, from a consciousness of
secret powers to overawe their hurting him.

Notwithstanding the general reverence I pay to extraordinary
talents, which lead me to think it even a species of
impertinence to dwell upon small failings in their rare