a style full of originality, picturesqueness, ity. How it went, or who by forethought might sunny vigour; but all cased and slated over. be to blame, one knows not; for the Fils threefold, in metaphor and trope; distorted Adoptif, hemmed in by still extant relations, is into tortuosities, dislocations; starting out extremely reticent on these points: a certain into crotchets, cramp turns, quaintnesses, and Dame de Pailly," from Switzerland, very beauhidden satire; which the French head had no tiful and very artful," glides half-seen through ear for. Strong meat, too tough for babes! The the Mirabeau household, (the Marquis's OrthoFriend of Men found warm partisans, widely doxy, as we said, being but of the diluted kind :) scattered over this Earth; and had censer- there are evesdroppers, confidential servants; fumes transmitted him from Marquises, nay, there are Pride, Anger, Uncharitableness, Subfrom Kings and principalities, over seas and lime Pedantry and the Devil always busy. alpine chains of mountains; whereby the Such a figure as Pailly, of herself, bodes good pride and latent indignation of the man were to no one. Enough, there are Lawsuits, Letonly fostered; but at home, with the million all tres de Cachet; on all hands, peine forte et dure. jigging each after its suitable scrannel-pipe, Lawsuits, long drawn out, before gaping Parlehe could see himself make no way,-if it ments, between man and wife; to the scandal were not way towards being a monstrosity of an unrighteous world; how much more of and thing men wanted "to see;" not the right a righteous Marquis, minded once to be an exthing! Neither through the press, then, is there ample to it! Lettres de Cachet, to the number progress towards the premiership? The stag- (as some count) of fifty-four, first and last, gering state of French statesmen must even for the use of a single Marquis: at times the stagger whither it is bound. A light public whole Mirabeau fire-side is seen empty, (except froths itself into tempest about Palissot and Pailly and Marquis ;) each individual sitting his comedy of "Les Philosophes,”—about Glück- | in his separate Strong-house, there to bethink Piccini Music; neglecting the call of Ruin; himself. Stiff are your tempers, ye young and hard must come to hard. Thou, O Friend Mirabeaus; not stiffer than mine the old one's! of Men, clench thy lips together; and wait, What pangs it has cost the fond paternal heart silent as the old rocks. Our Friend of Men to go through all this Brutus duty, the Marquis did so, or better; not wanting to himself, the knows and Heaven. In a less degree, what lion-hearted old Marquis! For his latent in-pangs it may cost the filial heart to go under dignation has a certain devoutness in it; is a kind of holy indignation. The Marquis, though he knows the Encyclopédie, has not forgotten the higher Sacred Books, or that there is a God in this world, (very different from the French Etre Suprême.) He even professes, or tries to profess, a kind of diluted Catholicism, in his own way, and thus turns an eye towards heaven: very singular in his attitude here too. Thus it would appear this world is a mad imbroglio which no Friend of Men can set right: it shall go wrong then, in God's name: and the staggering state of all things stagger whither it can. To deep, fearful depths,-not to bottomless ones!

(or undergo) the same! The former set of pangs he crushes down into his soul (aided by Heaven) suppressively, as beseems a man and Mirabeau: the latter set, are they not self-sought pangs; medicinal; that will cease of their own accord, when the unparalleled filial impiety pleases to cease? For the rest, looking at such a world and such a family, at these prison-houses, mountains of divorcepapers, and the staggering state of French statesmen, a Friend of Men may pretty naturally ask himself, Am not I a strong old Marquis, then, whom all this has not driven into Bedlam,-not into Hypochondria, dyspepsia even? The Heavens are bounteous, and make the back equal to the burden.

But in the Family Circle? There surely a man, and Friend of Men, is supreme; and Out of all which circumstances, and of such ruling with wise autocracy, may make some- struggle against them, there has come forth thing of it. Alas, in the family circle it went this Marquis de Mirabeau, shaped (it was the not better, but worse? The Mirabeaus had shape he could arrive at) into one of the most once a talent for choosing wives: had it de- singular Sublime Pedants that ever stepped serted them in this instance, then, when most the soil of France. Solemn moral rigour, as needed? We say not so: we say only that of some antique Presbyterian Ruling Elder: Madame la Marquise had human freewill in heavy breadth, dull heat, choler and pride as her too; that all the young Mirabeaus were of an old "Bozzy of Auchinleck;" then a likely to have human freewill, (in great plen- high flown euphuistic courtesy, the airiest ty;) that within doors as without, the Devil mincing ways, suitable to your French Seigis busy. Most unsuccessful is the Marquis as neur! How the two divine missions (for both ruler of men his family kingdom, for the seem to him divine) of Riquetti and Man of most part, little otherwise than in a state of Genius (or World-schoolmaster) blend themmutiny. A sceptre as of Rhadamanthus will selves; and philosophism, chivalrous euphusway and drill that household into perfectionism, presbyterian ruling-elderism, all in such of Harrison Clockwork; and cannot do it. strength, have met, to give the world assurThe royal ukase goes forth in its calm, irre- ance of a man! There never entered the fragable justice! meets hesitation, disobedi- brain of Hogarth, or of rare old Ben, such a ence open or concealed. Reprimand is fol- piece of Humour (high meeting with low, and lowed by remonstrance; harsh coming thunder laughter with tears) as, in this brave old mutters, growl answering growl. With unaf- Riquetti, Nature has presented us ready-made. fectedly astonished eye the Marquis appeals to For withal there is such genius in him; rich destiny and Heaven; explodes, since he needs depth of character; indestructible cheerfulmust then, in red lightning of paternal author-ness and health breaking out (in spite of these

divorce-papers) ever and anon,-like strong | Twelve Labours, which surely are themselves sunlight in thundery weather. We have heard the best joys. Look at the oaf, how he sprawls. of the strife of Fate with Freewill" produc- No stranger Riquetti ever sprawled under our ing Greek Tragedies, but never heard it till Sun: it is as if, in this thy man-child, Destiny now produce such astonishing comico-tragical had swept together all the wildnesses and French Farces. Blessed old Marquis, or strengths of the Riquetti lineage, and flung else accursed! He is there, with his broad him forth as her finale in that kind. Not bull-brow; with the huge cheek bones; those without a vocation! He is the last of the deep eyes, glazed as in weariness; the lower Riquettis; and shall do work long memorable visage puckered into a simpering graciosity, among mortals. which would pass itself off for a kind of smile. What to do with him? Welcome, thou tough old Marquis, with thy better and thy worse! There is stuff in thee, (very different from moonshine and formula;) and stuff is stuff," Mansion-house of Bignon, not far from were it never so crabbed.

Besides the old Marquis de Mirabeau, there is a Brother, the Bailli de Mirabeau: a man who, serving as Knight of Malta, governing in Guadaloupe, fighting and doing hard sea-duty, has sown his wild oats long since; and settled down here, in the old "Castle of Mirabeau on its sheer rock," (for the Marquis usually lives at Bignon, another estate within reach of Paris,) into one of the worthiest quiet uncles and house-friends. It is very beautiful, this mild strength, mild clearness and justice of the brave Bailli, in contrast with his brother's nodosity; whom he comforts, defends, admonishes, even rebukes; and on the whole reverences (both as head Riquetti and as World-schoolmaster) beyond all living men. The frank true love of these two brothers is the fairest feature in Mirabeaudom; indeed the only feature which is always fair. Letters pass continually in letter and extract we here, from time to time, witness (in these Eight chaotic Volumes) the various personages speak their dialogue, unfold their farce-tragedy. The Fils Adopt admits mankind into this strange household, though stingily, uncomfortably, and all in darkness, save for his own capricious dark-lantern. Seen or half seen, it is a stage; as the whole world is. What with personages, what with destinies, no stranger house-drama was enacting on the Earth at that time.

Under such auspices, which were not yet ripened into events and fatalities, but yet were inevitably ripening towards such, did Gabriel Honoré, at the Mansion of Bignon, between Sens and Nemours, on the 9th day of March, 1749, first see the light. He was the fifth child; the second male child; yet born heir, the first having died in the cradle. A magnificent "enormous" fellow, as the gossips had to admit, almost with terror: the head especially great; "two grinders" in it, already shot!-Rough-hewn, truly, yet with bulk, with limbs, vigour bidding fair to do honour to the line. The paternal Marquis (to whom they said, "N'ayez pas peur," Don't be frightened) gazed joyful, we can fancy, and not fearful, on his product of his; the stiff pedant features relaxing into a veritable smile. Smile, O paternal Marquis: the future indeed "veils sorrow and joy," one knows not in what proportion; but here is a new Riquetti, whom the gods send; with the rudiments in him, thou wouldst guess, of a very Hercules, fit for

Truly, looking now into the matter, we might say, in spite of the gossips, that on this whole Planet, in those years, there was hardly born such a man-child as this same, in the

Paris," whom they named Gabriel Honoré. Nowhere, we say, came there a stouter or braver into this Earth; whither they come marching by the legion and the myriad, out of Eternity and Night!-Except, indeed, what is notable enough, one other that arrived some few months later, at the town of Frankfort on the Maine, and got christened Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Then, again, in some ten years more, there came another still liker Gabriel Honoré in his brawny ways. It was into a mean hut that this one came, an infirm hut, (which the wind blew down at the time,) in the shire of Ayre, in Scotland: him they named Robert Burns. These, in that epoch, were the Wellborn of the World; by whom the world's history was to be carried on. Ah! could the well-born of the world be always rightly bred, rightly entreated there, what a world were it? But it is not so; it is the reverse of so. And then few (like that Frankfort one) can peaceably vanquish the world, with its black imbroglios; and shine above it, in serene help to it, like a sun! The most can but Titani cally vanquish it, or be vanquished by it: hence, instead of light, (stillest and strongest of things,) we have but lightning; red fire, and oftentimes conflagrations, which are very woful.

Be that as it might, Marquis Mirabeau determined to give his son, and heir of all the Riquettis, such an education as no Riquetti had yet been privileged with. Being a worldschoolmaster, (and indeed a Martinus Scriblerus, as we here find, more ways than one,) this was not strange in him; but the results were very lamentable. Considering the matter now, at this impartial distance, you are lost in wonder at the good Marquis; know not whether to laugh at him, or weep over him; and on the whole are bound to do both. A more sufficient product of Nature than this "enormous Gabriel," as we said, need not have been wished for: "beating his nurse," but then loving her, and loving the whole world; of large desire, truly, but desire towards all things, the highest and the lowest in other words, a large mass of life in him, a large man waiting there! Does he not rummage (the rough cub, now tenfold rougher by the effect of small-pox) in all places, seeking something to know: dive down to the most unheard-of recesses for papers to read? Does he not, spontaneously, give his hat to a peasant-boy whose head-gear was defective? He writes the most sagacious things, in his fifth year, extempore, at table; setting

is it not as the sound of an agitated parentfowl, now in terror, now in anger, at the brood it has brought out?

forth what "Monsieur Moi" (Mr. Me) is bound to do. A rough strong genuine scul, of the frankest open temper; full of loving fire and strength; looking out so brisk with his clear “This creature promises to be a very prethazel eyes, with his brisk sturdy bulk, what ty subject.' Talent in plenty, and cleverness, might not fair breeding have done for him! but more faults still inherent in the substance On so many occasions, one feels as if he need of him.' 'Only just come into life, and the ed nothing in the world but to be well let alone. extravasation (extravasement) of the thing alBut no; the scientific paternal hand must ready visible! A spirit cross-grained, fantasinterfere, at every turn, to assist Nature: the tic, iracund, incompatible, tending towards young lion's whelp has to grow up all bestrap- evil before knowing it, or being capable of it.' ped, bemuzzled in the most extraordinary man- A high heart under the jacket of a boy; it ner: shall wax and unfold himself by theory has a strange instinct of pride this creature; of education, by square and rule,-going punc- | noble withal; the embryo of a shaggy-headed tual, all the way, like Harrison Clockwork, ac- | bully and killcow, that would swallow all the cording to the theoretic program; or else—! Oworld, and is not twelve years old yet.' 'A Marquis, world-schoolmaster, what theory of type, profoundly inconceivable, of baseness, education is this? No lion's whelp or young sheer dull grossness, (platitude absolue,) and the Mirabeau will go like clockwork, but far other quality of your dirty, rough-crusted caterpillar, wise. "He that spareth the rod hateth the child;" that will uncrust itself or fly.' 'An intellithat on its side is true: and yet Nature, too, is gence, a memory, a capacity, that strike you, strong: "Nature will come running back, though that astonish, that frighten you.' 'A nothing thou expel her with a fork!" In one point of view bedizened with crotchets. May fling dust in there is nothing more Hogarthian comic than the eyes of silly women, but will never be the this long Peter Peeble's ganging plea of "Mar- fourth part a man, if by good luck he be any quis Mirabeau versus Nature and others:" yet thing. One whom you may call ill-born, in a deeper point of view it is but too serious. this elder lad of mine; who bodes, at least Candid history will say that whatsoever of hitherto, as if he could become nothing but a worst it was in the power of art to do, against madman: almost invincibly maniac, with all this young Gabriel Honoré, was done. Not the vile qualities of the maternal stock over with unkind intentions; nay, with intentions and above. As he has a great many masters, which, at least, began in kindness. How much and all, from the confessor to the comrade, are better was Burns's education, (though this, too, so many reporters for me, I see the nature of went on under the grimmest pressures,) on the the beast, and don't think we shall ever do any wild hill-side, by the brave peasant's hearth, good with him." with no theory of education at all, but poverty, toil, tempest, and the handles of the plough!

In a word, offences (of elasticity or expansivity) have accumulated to such height, in At bottom, the Marquis's wish and purpose the lad's fifteenth year, that there is a determiwas not complex, but simple. That Gabriel nation taken, on the part of RhadamanthusHonoré de Riquetti shall become the very | Scriblerus, to pack him out of doors, one way same man that Victor de Riquetti is; perfect or the other. After various plannings, the plan as he is perfect: this will satisfy the fond fa- of one Abbé Choquenard's Boarding-school is ther's heart, and nothing short of this. Better fallen upon: the rebellious Expansive shall to exemplar, truly, were hard to find; and yet, O Paris; there, under ferula and Short-commons, Victor de Riquetti, poor Gabriel, on his side, contract himself and consider. Farther, as the wishes to be Gabriel and not Victor! Stiffer name Mirabeau is honourable and right holoving Pedant never had a more elastic loving nourable, he shall not have the honour of it; Pupil. Offences (of mere elas ii'y, mere natural never again, but be called Pierre Buffière, till springing-up, for most part) accumulate by his ways decidedly alter. This Pierre Butière addition: Madame Pailly and the confidential was the name of an estate of his mother's in servants, on this as on all matters, are busy. the Limousin: sad fuel of those smoking lawThe household itself is darkening, the mistress suits which at length blazed out as divorce of it gone; the Lawsuits (and by-and-by Di- lawsuits. Wearing this melancholy nick-name vorce-Lawsuits) have begun. Worse will grow of Peter Buffière, as a perpetual badge, had worse, and ever worse, till Rhadamanthus-poor Gabriel Honoré to go about for a number Scriblerus Marquis de Mirabeau, swaying of years; like a misbehaved soldier with his vainly the sceptre of order, see himself envi- eyebrows shaven off; alas, only & fifteenroned by a waste chaos as of Bedlam. Stiff is years' recruit yet, too young for that! he; elastic (and vet still loving, reverent) is his son and pupil. Thus cruelty, and yearnings that must be suppressed; indignant revolt, and hot tears of penitence, alternate, in the strangest way, between the two; and for long years our young Ale des has (by Destiny, his own Demon, and Jun de Pailly) Labours enough imposed on him.

But, to judge what a task was set this poor paternal Marquis, let us listen to the following successive utterances from him; which he emits, in letter after letter, mostly into the ear of his Brother the good Bailli. Cluck, cluck,

Nevertheless, named or shorn of his name. Peter or Gabriel, the youth himself was still there. At Choquenard's Boarding-school, as always afterwards in life, he carries with him, he unfolds and employs, the qualities which Nature gave, which no shearing or shaving of art and mistreatment could take away. The Fils Adoptif gives a grand list of studies followed, acquisitions made: ancient languages, (" and we have a thousand proofs of his indefatigable tenacity in this respect;") modern languages, English, Italian, German, Spanish; then "passionate study of mathematics;" de

sign pictorial and geometrical; music, so as | amourette; plainly triumphant: the beginning to read it at sight, nay, to compose in it; sing- of a quite unheard-of career in that kind. The ing, to a high degree; "equitation, fencing, aggrieved Colonel emitted "satires," through dancing, swimming, and tennis:" if only the the mess-rooms; this bold volunteer dragoon half of which were true, can we say that was not the man to give him worse than he Pierre Buffière spent his time ill? What is brought: matters fell into a very unsatisfactory more precisely certain, the disgraced Buffière state between them. To crown the whole, worked his way very soon into the good affec- Buffière went one evening (contrary to wont, tions of all and sundry, in this House of Dici- now and always) to the gaming-table, and pline, who came in contact with him; school- lost four louis. Insubordination, Gambling, fellows, teachers, the Abbé Choquenard him- Archer's daughter: Rhadamanthus thunder self. For, said the paternal Marquis, he has from Bignon: Buffière doffs his basnet, flies the tongue of the old Serpent! In fact, it is covertly to Paris. Negotiation there now was; very notable how poor Butfière, Comte de Mi- confidential spy to Saintes; correspondence, rabeau, revolutionary King Riquetti, or what- fulmination: Dupont de Nemours as daysman ever else they might call him, let him come, between a Colonel and a Marquis, both in under what discommendation he might, into high wrath,-Buffière to pay the piper! Conany circle of men, was sure to make them his fidential spy takes evidence; the whole atrocity ere long. To the last, no man could look into comes to light: what wilt thou do, O Marquis, him with his own eyes, and continue to hate with this devil's child of thine? Send him to him. He could talk men over, then? Yes, O Surinam; let the tropical heats and rain tame Reader: and he could act men over: for at the hot liver of him!-so whispered paternal bottom, that was it. The large open soul of Brutus-justice and Pailly; but milder thoughts the man, purposing deliberately no paltry, un- prevailed. Lettre de Cachet and the Isle of kindly, or dishonest thing towards any crea- Rhé shall be tried first. Thither fares poor ture, was felt to be withal a brother's soul. De- Buffière; not with Archers' daughters, but with faced by black drossy obscurations very many; Archers; amid the dull rustle and autumnal but yet shining out, lustrous, warm; in its brown of the falling leaves of 1768, his ninetroublous effulgence, great! That a man be teenth autumn. It is his second Hercules' Laloved the better by men the nearer they come bour; the Choquenard Boarding-house was to him is not this the fact of all facts? To the first. Bemoaned by the loud Atlantic he know what extent of prudential diplomacy shall sit there, in winter season, under ward (good, indifferent, and even bad) a man has, of a Bailli d'Aulan, governor of the place, and ask public opinion, journalistic rumour, or at said to be a very Cerberus. most the persons he dines with: to know what At Rhé the old game is played: in few weeks, of real worth is in him, ask infinitely deeper the Cerberus Bailli is Buffière's; baying, out and farther; ask, first of all, those who have of all his throats, in Buffière's behalf! What tried by experiment; who, were they the fool-"sorcery" is this that the rebellious prodigy ishest people, can answer pertinently here if anywhere. "Those at a distance esteem of me a little worse than I; those near at hand a little better than I:" so said the good Sir Thomas Browne; so will all men say who have much to say on that.

has in him, O Marquis? Hypocrisy, cozenage which no governor of strong places can resist? Nothing short of the hot swamps of Surinam will hold him quiet, then? Happily there is fighting in Corsica; Pacli fighting on his last legs there; and Baron de Vaux wants fresh The Choquenard Military Boarding-School troops against him. Buffière, though he likes having, if not fulfilled its functions, yet ceased not the cause, will go thither gladly; and fight to be a house of penance, and failed of its func- his very best: how happy if, by any fighting, tion, Marquis Mirabeau determinded to try the he can conquer back his baptismal name, and Army. Nay, it would seem. the wicked mother some gleam of paternal tolerance! After has been privily sending him money; which much soliciting, his prayer is acceded to: he, the traitor, has accepted! To the army Buffière, with the rank now of "Sub-lieutenant therefore. And so Pierre Buffière has a basnet of Foot, in the Legion of Lorraine," gets across on his big head; the shaggy pock-pitted visage the country to Toulon, in the month of April; looks martially from under horse-hair and and enters "on the plain which furrows itself clear metal; he dresses rank, with tight bridle- without plough" (euphuistic for oce in :) “God hand and drawn falchion, in the town of grant he may not have to row there one day," Saintes, as a bold volunteer dragoon. His age-in red cap, as convict galley-slave! Such was but eighteen as yet, and some months. is the paternal benediction and prayer; which The people of Saintes grew to like him amazingly; would even "have lent him money to any extent." His Colonel, one De Lambert, proved to be a martinet, of sharp sour temper: the shaggy visage of Buffière, radiant through its seaminess with several things, had not altogether the happiness to content him. Furthermore there was an Archer (Bailiff) at Saintes, who had a daughter: she, foolish minx, liked the Buffière visage better even than the Colonel's! For one can fancy what a pleader Buffière was, in this great cause; with the tongue of the old serpent. It was his first

was realized. Nay, Buffière, it would seem, before quitting Rochelle, indeed "hardly yet two hours out of the fortress of Rhé," had fallen into a new atrocity-his first duel; a certain quondam messmate (discharged for swindling) having claimed acquaintance with him on the streets; which claim Buffière saw good to refuse; and even to resist, when demanded at the sword's point! The "Corsican Buccaneer" (flibustier Corse) that he is!

The Corsican Buccaneer did, as usual, a giant's or two giants' work in Corsica; fighting, writing, loving; "eight hours a day of

War-office makes him captain, and he is passionate for following soldiership: but then, unluckily, your Alexander needs such tools;a whole world for workshop! "Where are

study;" and gained golden opinions from all manner of men and women. It was his own notion that Nature had meant him for a soldier; he felt so equable and at home in that business, the wreck of discordant death-tumult, the armies and herring-shoals of men to come and roar of cannon serving as a fine regulatory marching-music for him. Doubtless Nature meant him for a Man of Action; as she means all great souls that have a strong body to dwell in but Nature will adjust herself to much. In the course of twelve months, (in May, 1770,) Buffière gets back to Toulon; with much manuscript in his pocket; his head full of military and all other lore, “like a library turned topsyturvy;" his character much risen, as we said, with every one. The brave Bailli Mirabeau, though almost against principle, cannot refuse to see a chief nephew, as he passes so near the old Castle on the Durance: the good uncle is charmed with him; finds, "under features terribly seamed and altered from what they were," (bodily and mentally,) all that is royal and strong, nay, an "expression of something refined, something gracious;" declares him, after several days of incessant talk, to be the best fellow on earth, (if well dealt with,) who will shape into statesman, generalissimo, pope, what thou pleasest to desire! Or, shall we give poor Buffière's testimonial in mess-room dialect; in its native twanging vociferosity, and garnished with old oaths-which, alas, have become for us almost old prayers now, the vociferous Moustachio-figures, whom they twanged through, having all vanished so long since: Morbleu, Monsieur, l'Abbé; c'est un garçon, diablement vif. mais c'est un bon garçon, qui a de l'esprit comme trois cent mille diables; et parbleu, un hommo très brave."

from? Does he think I have money," snuffles the old Marquis, "to get him up battles like Harlequin and Scaramouch?" The fool! he shall settle down into rurality; first, however, though it is a risk, see a little of Paris.

At Paris, through winter, the brave Gabriel carries all before him; shines in saloons, in the Versailles Œil-de-Bouf; dines with your Duke of Orleans, (young Chartres, not yet become Egalité, hob-nobbing with him;) dines with your Guéménés, Broglies, and mere Grandeurs; and is invited to hunt. Even the old women are charmed with him, and rustle in their satins: such a light has not risen in the Eil-de-Bœuf for some while. Grant, O Marquis, that there are worse sad-dogs than this. The Marquis grants partially; and yet, and yet! Few things are notabler than these successive surveys by the old Marquis, critically scanning his young Count:—

Moved by all manner of testimonials and entreaties from uncle and family, the rigid Marquis consents, not without difficulty, to see this anomalous Peter Buffière of his; and then, after solemn deliberation, even to un-Peter him, and give him back his name. It was in September that they met; at Aiguesperse, in the Limousin near the lands of Pierre Bouffière. Soft ruth comes stealing through the Rhadamanthine heart; tremblings of faint hope even, which, however, must veil itself in austerity and rigidity. The Marquis writes: "I perorate him very much;" observe "my man, how he droops his nose, and looks fixedly, a sign that he is reflecting: or whirls away his head, hiding a tear: serious, now mild, now severe, we give it him alternately; it is thus I manage the mouth of this fiery animal." Had he but read the Ephémérides, the Economiques, the Précis des Elémens (“the most laboured book I have done, though I wrote it in such health:") had he but got grounded in my Political Economy! Which, however, he does not take to with any heart. On the contrary, he unhappily finds it hollow, pragmatical, a barren jingle of formulas; pedantic even; unnutritive as the east wind. Blasphemous words; which for the like of them) any eavesdropper has but to report to the Master!"--And yet, after all, is it not a brave Gabriel this rough-built young Hercules; and has finished handsomely his Second Labour? The head of the fellow is a wind-mill and fire-mill of ideas." The

"I am on my guard; remembering how vivacity of head may deceive you as to a character of morass (de tourbe :) but, all considered one must give him store of exercise; what the devil else to do with such exuberance, intellectual and sanguineous? I know no woman but the Empress of Russia with whom this man were good to marry yet.' Hard to find a dog (drôle) that had more talent and action in the head of him than this; he would reduce the devil to terms.' Thy nephew Whirlwind (l'Ouragan) assists me; yesterday the valet Luce, who is a sort of privileged simpleton, said pleasantly, "Confess, M. le Comte, a man's body is very unhappy to carry a head like that." The terrible gift of familiarity (as Pope Gregory called it!) He turns the great people here round his finger. Or again, though all this is some years afterwards: They have never done telling me that he is easy to se: a-rearing; that you cannot speak to him reproachfully but his eyes, his lips, his colour testify that all is giving way; on the other hand, the smallest word of tenderness will make him burst into tears, and he would fling himself into the fire for you.' 'I pass my life in cramming him (à le bourrer) with principles, with all that I know; for this man, ever the same as to his fundamental properties, has done nothing by these long and solid studies but augment the rubbish-heap in his head, which is a library turned topsy-turvy; and then his talent for dazzling by superficials, for he has swal lowed all formulas, and cannot substantiate any thing." A wicker-basket, that lets all through; disorder born; credulous as a nurse; indiscreet; a liar' (kind of white liar) by exaggeration, affirmation, effrontery, without need, and merely to tell histories; a confidence that dazzles you on every thing; cleverness and talent without limit. For the rest, the vices have infinitely less root in him than the virtues; all is facility, impetuosity, ineffectuality, (not for want of fire, but of plan;) wrong-spun, ravelled (défaufilé) in character: a mind that meditates in the vague, and builds of soap-bells.' 'Soite