found her, had paid his nephew's debts, and adding a round sum to the
lady's fortune, had seen that the whole was so tightly settled on wife
and children that Poole had the tender satisfaction of knowing that,
happen what might to himself, those dear ones were safe; nay, that if, in
the reverses of fortune, he should be compelled by persecuting creditors
to fly his native shores, law could not impair the competence it had
settled upon Mrs. Poole, nor destroy her blessed privilege to share that
competence with a beloved spouse. Insolvency itself, thus protected by a
marriage settlement, realises the sublime security of VIRTUE immortalised
by the Roman muse:

--"Repulse nescia sordidae,
Intaminatis fulget honoribus;
Nec sumit ant ponit secures
Arbitrio popularis aurae."

Mr. Poole was an active man in the parish vestry--he was a sound
politician--he subscribed to public charities--he attended public
dinners he had votes in half a dozen public institutions--he talked of
the public interests, and called himself a public man. He chose his
associates amongst gentlemen in business--speculative, it is true, but
steady. A joint-stock company was set up; he obtained an official
station at its board, coupled with a salary--not large, indeed, but still
a salary.

"The money," said Adolphus Samuel Poole, "is not my object; but I like to
have something to do." I cannot say how he did something, but no doubt
somebody was done.

Mr. Poole was in his parlour, reading letters and sorting papers, before