tioning the nature of the service I rendered this nobleman. I could relate many other traits of ingratitude as remarkable as those I have already cited, but I forbear to dwell. any longer on so disagreeable a subject. Add to these facts others that are to be found in the course of these memoirs, and then recal to your mind what I have said of the conduct of Mr. Mackenzie towards me; of his sincerity, and the dignity of his sentiments, and you will find in him one of the few exceptions I can make to the general rule I am endeavouring to establish.

193. THE FORCE OF PREJUDICE.

Juvenal has wisely said-Plurima sunt quæ non audent homines pertusá dicere læná. I have frequently experienced the truth of this maxim. How often have I seen, in a circle of men of a superior rank, some poor devil brow-beat and laughed at, forobservations, that would have been admired and applauded if proceeding from a more: elevated source. More than once have I found myself opposed or ridiculed for advancing a proposition that has afterwards:

dxtorted great praise when delivered from the mouth of a great man. Nay, farther; having been severely attacked for opinions I was giving, to my great astonishment, I have, shortly afterwards, heard the critic, (who had not at least the gift of memory) invest himself in the same opinion, and defend it with extreme vehemence.

At length I resolved to put this matter to a proof, that I might not be misled into false conclusions by any prejudices of my own. The French revolution, its causes and effects, were frequently the topies of conversation in a fashionable circle which I frequented. I háď said much on the subject, but nothing, seemingly, to the purpose; my ideas were constantly opposed with contempt. With great secresy and caution, not to be known as the author, I printed a little work, intituled Nouveaux Intérêts de

Europe depuis la Révolution Françoise; (Remarks on the new Interests of Europe since the French Revolution); in which I had stated precisely the same ideas. I gave directions to my bookseller to send it, as a new publication to the circle in question, at

a time when I was certain that my two antagonists who had taken the lead against me would be present. They read it. One of them immediately declared that the pamphlet was admirable; that its arguments were incontrovertible; that he had yet met with nothing which had thrown so much light on the subject, and he was astonished how the author could have acquired so large a scope of information. The other, an ambassador of high reputation, confirmed the praise, and they both concluded by earnestly wishing to know the author. Having remained silent for a considerable time, I at length named myself. Nothing could equal their surprise; they looked at each other; and very faintly confirmed their approbation of my work; without, however, having since testified any increase of respect for my opinions.

194. BON MOT OF DOCTOR JOHNSON. There is a very original expression of Doctor Johnson's whose force it is difficult to convey in the French language. To wards the close of his life, death having

robbed him of many friends, he was solicitous to form new acquaintances, to keep, he said, friendship in repair.

195. TWENTY GOOD ACQUAINTANCES ARE THE CHANGE FOR A FRIEND.

Boileau Despreaux being very ill, and waited upon at the table of a person who, to act the great man, was attended by a page and kept few servants, said to him, "Sir, give us the change of your page." Pursuing this idea, Iaffirm, that twenty good acquaintances are the change for a friend—it is distributing the one and massy piece of gold into a number of smaller but more useful pieces of current coin. We often find it more convenient to have the change than the guinea. If we calculate the services that may be rendered us by one friend, we shall find they cannot equal those we may receive from a number of good acquaintances; for allowing to our friend the best intentions possible, and the most earnest zeal for our welfare, it may so happen that his means are not applicable, in any way, to the precise case wherein we need

assistance; whereas, some among the number of our acquaintance, or all of them united, may easily accomplish that which a single friend is unequal to attain. As to the charms of society, every one will agree with me, that they are more frequently to be found in a circle than in the tête-à-téte intercourse of one friend, who frequently fatigues, and is fatigued. Friendship, strictly speaking, demands an entire, unvarying, absolute, and mutual devotion of şentiment and affection between two persons; an acquaintance is selected and cultivated, at far less expense: it may be suddenly formed, and unite convenience or pleasure, just as the inclination of the moment decides. If any one is inclined to accuse me of having here advanced a paradox, I beg that he will sincerely declare, whether he has a real friend in the true acceptation of the term, or whether he has not rather lavished the name of friend, on some acquaintance whose intercourse he solicits, more or less, according as his interest or his amusement demands, and whom, sooner or later, he will probably entirely neglect