uncongenial a soil: and in this ante-chamber feud, the pride of
education and mind retaliated with juster sarcasm the pride of birth
and sinews.

Amongst those opposed to the earl, and fit in all qualities to be the
head of the new movement,--if the expressive modern word be allowed
us,--stood at that moment in the very centre of the chamber Anthony
Woodville, in right of the rich heiress he had married the Lord
Scales. As, when some hostile and formidable foe enters the meads
where the flock grazes, the gazing herd gather slowly round their
leader, so grouped the queen's faction slowly, and by degrees, round
this accomplished nobleman, at the prolonged sojourn of Warwick.

"Gramercy!" said the Lord Scales, in a somewhat affected intonation of
voice, "the conjunction of the bear and the young lion is a parlous
omen, for the which I could much desire we had a wise astrologer's
reading."

"It is said," observed one of the courtiers, "that the Duke of
Clarence much affects either the lands or the person of the Lady
Isabel."

"A passably fair damozel," returned Anthony, "though a thought or so
too marked and high in her lineaments, and wholly unlettered, no
doubt; which were a pity, for George of Clarence has some pretty taste
in the arts and poesies. But as Occleve hath it--

'Gold, silver, jewel, cloth, beddyng, array,'

would make gentle George amorous of a worse-featured face than high-