t changed
the Duke of St. James's feelings with regard to his noble relatives.
He was quite disembarrassed of that Panglossian philosophy which had
hitherto induced him to believe that the Earl of Fitz-pompey was the
best of all possible uncles. On the contrary, his Grace rather doubted
whether the course which his relations had pursued towards him was
quite the most proper and the most prudent; and he took great credit
to himself for having, with such unbounded indulgence, on the whole
deported himself with so remarkable a temperance. His Grace, too, could
no longer innocently delude himself with the idea that all the attention
which had been lavished upon him was solely occasioned by the impulse
of consanguinity. Finally, the young Duke's conscience often misgave him
when he thought of Mr. Dacre. He determined, therefore, on returning to
England, not to commit himself too decidedly with the Fitz-pompeys, and
he had cautiously guarded himself from being entrapped into becoming
their guest. At the same time, the recollection of old intimacy, the
general regard which he really felt for them all, and the sincere
affection which he entertained for his cousin Caroline, would have
deterred him from giving any outward signs of his altered feelings, even
if other considerations had not intervened.

And other considerations did intervene. A Duke, and a young Duke, is
an important personage; but he must still be introduced. Even our
hero might make a bad tack on his first cruise. Almost as important
personages have committed the same blunder. Talk of Catholic
emancipation! O! thou Imperial Parliament, emancipate the forlorn
wretches who have got into a bad set! Even thy omnipotence must fail
there!

Now, the Countess of Fitz-pompey was a brilliant of the first water.
Under no better auspices could the Duke of St. James bound upon the
stage. No man in town could arrange his club affairs for him with
greater celerity and greater tact than the Earl; and the married
daughters were as much like their mother as a pair of diamond ear-rings
are like a diamond necklace.

The Duke, therefore, though he did not choose to get caged in
Fitz-pompey House, sent his page, Spiridion, to the Countess, on a
special embassy of announcement on the evening of his arrival, and on
the following morning his Grace himself made his appearance at an early
hour.

Lord Fitz-pompey, who was as consummate a judge of men and manners as he
was an indiffere