England, when they find themselves shorn of all these, and
that their station in society is far more removed from the apex, they
become sullen and dissatisfied. Of course, there are many who have been
resident in India, where family and connections insure them every
advantage upon their return to their native country; but it must be
recollected that the greater proportion of those who return consists of
those who were of low origin, and who have obtained their appointments
in reward for the exertions of their parents in behalf of their patrons
in parliamentary returns, etcetera, and of young females who have (with
their face as their fortune) been shipped off to India upon a
matrimonial speculation. Now, however high in rank they may have, in
the course of many years' service, arrived to in India, when they return
they are nobodies; and unless they bring with them such wealth as to
warrant their being designated as nabobs, their chance of admittance
into the best society is very small indeed.

I have said that they _talked_ at us, and not to us. The gentleman was
civil, and would have conversed, but he was immediately interrupted and
sent off on a message; and, for a quiet life, he gave it up. The system
of talking at people always reminds me of the play of the "Critic," in
which it is asked why, if "he knows all this, it is necessary to tell
him again?" Simply because the audience do not; so, the party in
question were the actors, and we were the audience to be informed. The
conversation between the adults run as follows:--

"You recollect how polite Lord C-- was to us at --?"

"To be sure I do."

"Lady D-- told me so and so."

"Yes, I recollect it very well."

"What a nice man the Honourable Mr E-- is!"

"Yes, that he is."

"How very intimate we were at -- with Lady G--."

"That we were."

And so on, during the whole of the day, much to our edification. How
contemptible, how paltry is such vanity! But with their indulgence of
it for our amusement, the cow-skin, and a scanty dinner, we got through
the first day, during which two or three occasional patronising
questions or remarks were thrown at our heads, and then they reverted to
their own assumed exclusiveness. The night, as may be supposed, was
anything but comfortable to those in the cabin; but I shall not dwell
upon what, if fairly narrated, would be a very pretty sketch of human
nature.

We were to arrive the next day at five o'clock in th