sharp raillery of O'Kelly. While
contesting the palm with each himself, the Prince evinced powers of mind
and eloquent facilities of expression that, in any walk of life, must
have made their possessor a most distinguished man. Politics, war, women,
literature, the turf, the navy, the opposition, architecture, and the
drama, were all discussed with a degree of information and knowledge that
proved to me how much of real acquirements can be obtained by those whose
exalted station surrounds them with the collective intellect of a nation.
As for myself, the time flew past unconsciously. So brilliant a display of
all that was courtly and fascinating in manner, and all that was brightest
in genius, was so novel to me, that I really felt like one entranced. To
this hour, my impression, however confused in details, is as vivid as
though that evening were but yesternight; and although since that period
I have enjoyed numerous opportunities of meeting with the great and the
gifted, yet I treasure the memory of that evening as by far the most
exciting of my whole life.

While I abstain from any mention of the many incidents of the evening,
I cannot pass over one which, occurring to myself, is valuable but as
showing, by one slight and passing trait, the amiable and kind feeling of
one whose memory is hallowed in the service.

A little lower than myself, on the opposite side of the table, I perceived
an old military acquaintance whom I had first met in Lisbon. He was then on
Sir Charles Stewart's staff, and we met almost daily. Wishing to commend
myself to his recollection, I endeavored for some time to catch his eye,
but in vain; but at last when I thought I had succeeded, I called to him,--

"I say, Fred, a glass of wine with you."

When suddenly the Duke of York, who was speaking to Lord Hertford, turned
quickly round, and taking the decanter in his hand, replied,--

"With pleasure, O'Malley. What shall it be, my boy?"

I shall never forget the manly good-humor of his look as he sat waiting for
my answer. He had taken my speech as addressed to himself, and concluding
that from fatigue, the novelty of the scene, my youth, etc., I was not over
collected, vouchsafed in this kind way to receive it.

"So," said he, as I stammered out my explanation, "I was deceived. However,
don't cheat me out of my glass of wine. Let us have it now."

With this little anecdote, whose truth I vouch for, I shall conclude. More
than one now li