t it has had the best effect, and silenced even the
loudest. "Confound their politics!" as dear little Squib says, from whom
I had the other day the funniest letter, which I have half a mind to
send you, only you figure in it so much!

'Burlington is at Brighton, and all my friends, except yourself. I
have a few barbarians to receive at Dallington, and then I shall be off
there. Join us as quickly as you can. Do you know, I think that it would
be an excellent _locale_ for the _scena_. We might drive them over to
Dieppe: only do not put off your visit too long, or else there will be
no steamers.

'The Duke of Shropshire has had a fit, but rallied. He vows he was only
picking up a letter, or tying his shoestring, or something of that kind;
but Ruthven says he dined off _boudins a la Sefton_, and that, after a
certain age, you know--

'Lord Darrell is with Annesley and Co. I understand, most friendly
towards me, which is pleasant; and Charles, who is my firm ally, takes
care to confirm the kind feeling. I am glad about this.

'Felix Crawlegh, or Crawl_ey_, as some say, has had an affair with Tommy
Seymour, at Grant's. Felix was grand about porter, or something, which
he never drank, and all that. Tommy, Who knew nothing about the brewing
father, asked him, very innocently, why malt liquors had so degenerated.
Conceive the agony, particularly as Lady Selina is said to have no
violent aversion to quartering her arms with a mash-tub, argent.

'The Macaronis are most hospitable this year; and the Marquess says that
the only reason that they kept in before was because he was determined
to see whether economy was practicable. He finds it is not; so now
expense is no object.

'Augustus Henley is about to become a senator! What do you think of
this? He says he has tried everything for an honest livelihood, and even
once began a novel, but could not get on; which, Squib says, is odd,
because there is a receipt going about for that operation which saves
all trouble:

'"Take a pair of pistols and a pack of cards, a cookery-book and a
set of new quadrilles; mix them up with half an intrigue and a whole
marriage, and divide them into three equal portions." Now, as Augustus
has both fought and gamed, dined and danced, I suppose it was the
morality which posed him, or perhaps the marriage.

'They say there is something about Lady Flutter, but, I should think,
all talk. Most probably a report set about by her Ladyship. Lord Flame