travelled; had seen a great deal of the world; had lived in the best
company; had acquired what is called good TACT; was full of anecdote,
not mere gossiping anecdotes that lead to nothing, but anecdotes
characteristic of national manners, of human nature in general, or of
those illustrious individuals who excite public curiosity and interest.
Miss Nugent had seen him always in large companies, where he was admired
for his SCAVOIR-VIVRE, and for his entertaining anecdotes, but where
he had no opportunity of producing any of the higher powers of his
understanding, or showing character. She found that Mr. Salisbury
appeared to her quite a different person when conversing with Lord
Colambre. Lord Colambre, with that ardent thirst for knowledge which it
is always agreeable to gratify, had an air of openness and generosity,
a frankness, a warmth of manner, which, with good breeding, but with
something beyond it and superior to its established forms, irresistibly
won the confidence and attracted the affection of those with whom he
conversed. His manners were peculiarly agreeable to a person like Mr.
Salisbury, tired of the sameness and egotism of men of the world.

Miss Nugent had seldom till now had the advantage of hearing much
conversation on literary subjects. In the life she had been compelled to
lead she had acquired accomplishments, had exercised her understanding
upon everything that passed before her, and from circumstances had
formed her judgment and her taste by observations on real life; but the
ample page of knowledge had never been unrolled to her eyes. She had
never had opportunities of acquiring literature herself, but she
admired it in others, particularly in her friend Miss Broadhurst. Miss
Broadhurst had received all the advantages of education which money
could procure, and had profited by them in a manner uncommon among those
for whom they are purchased in such abundance; she not only had had many
masters, and read many books, but had thought of what she read, and had
supplied, by the strength and energy of her own mind, what cannot be
acquired by the assistance of masters. Miss Nugent, perhaps overvaluing
the information that she did not possess, and free from all idea of
envy, looked up to her friend as to a superior being, with a sort of
enthusiastic admiration; and now, with 'charmed attention,' listened,
by turns, to her, to Mr. Salisbury, and to Lord Colambre, whilst they
conversed on literary subj