"'When even at last the solemn hour shall come,
And wing my mystic flight to future worlds,
I cheerful will obey; there with new powers
Will rising wonders sing. I cannot go
Where Universal Love not smiles around,
Sustaining all yon orbs, and all their suns,
From seeming evil still educing good,
And better thence again, and better still,
In infinite progression. But I lose
Myself in Him, in Light ineffable;
Come then expressive Silence, mine the praise.'"

"'Universal Love!'" repeated Mr. Belamour; "the poet sings as you do, my
amiable friend! I can conceive the idea better than I could a few months
ago."

"'From seeming evil, still educing good,'"

quoted Dr. Godfrey earnestly, as if feeling his way.

"More of this another time," said Mr. Belamour hastily. "What say the
critics respecting this new aspirant?"

The ensuing conversation much interested Aurelia, as it was on the men
of letters whose names had long been familiar to her, and whom the
two gentlemen had personally known. She heard of Pope, still living at
Twickenham, and of his bickerings with Lady Mary Wortley Montagu; of
young Horace Walpole, who would never rival his father as a politician,
but who was beginning his course as a _dilettante_, and actually
pretending to prefer the barbarous Gothic to the classic Italian.
However, his taste might be improved, since he was going to make the
grand tour in company with Mr. Gray, a rising young poet, in whom Dr.
Godfrey took interest, as an Etonian and a Cantab.

At nine o'clock Mr. Belamour requested Miss Delavie to let him depute to
her the doing the honours of the supper table to his friend, who would
return to him when she retired for the night.

Then it was that she first saw the guest, a fine, dignified clergyman,
in a large grey wig, with a benignant countenance, reminding her of the
Dean of Carminster. When she was little, the Dean had bestowed on her
comfits and kisses; but since she had outgrown these attentions, he was
wont to notice her only by a condescending nod, and she would no more
have thought of conversing with him at table than in his stall in the
cathedral. Thus it was surprising to find herself talked to, as Betty
might have been, by this reverend personage, who kindly satisfied her
curiosity about the King, Queen,