our paid to
the young author an unintentional compliment by insisting that the
brochure came from the great Mr. Dryden, but that genius denied the
soft impeachment while gracefully praising the unknown writer.

This pursuit of Jacobitism was varied by the study of law--a study
"sometimes relieved with a temporary application to music and
poetry"--and when the disconsolate Arthur had lost his father, and
thereby gained 800 pounds a year, he drowned his sorrows by an almost
exclusive devotion to "society and pleasantry." We are told[A] that on
the ratification of the Peace of Ryswick he went to Paris, where
he was exceedingly well received in consequence of the numerous
introductory letters which had been furnished him from various
quarters. He there contracted an intimacy with Boileau,--

"Whose rash envy would allow
No strain that shamed his country's creaking lyre,
That whetstone of the teeth, monotony in wire."

[Footnote A: "Memoirs of the Celebrated Persons comprising the Kit-Cat
Club."]

"The French poet invited Maynwaring to his country seat, where he
behaved to him in a very hospitable manner, and frequently conversed
with him respecting the merits of our English poets, of whom, however,
he affected to know but little, and for whom he pretended to care
still less. Monsieur de la Fontaine was also at times one of their
company, and always spoke in very respectful terms of the poetry of
the sister nation. Boileau's pretending to be ignorant of Dryden
'argued himself unknown'; but, perhaps, another reason may be assigned
why the French writers found it convenient to know as little as
possible of their English contemporary, who in many of his admirable
prefaces and dedications has taken some trouble to explain the
frivolity of the French poets, their tiresome _petit maitre-ship_, and
all the finessing and trick with which they endeavour to make amends
to their readers for positive deficiency of genius."

After playing the _dilettante_ in France, Maynwaring returned home,
and in time became a staunch Whig, a Government official, and, later
on, a Member of Parliament. The cause of the Pretender knew him no
more, and in future this brilliant gentleman would be one of the
greatest friends of that stupid Hanoverian family which waited
drowsily, across the sea, for the death of Anne.

But what counted all the glamour of public life compared to the
possession of Nance Oldfield and an honoured seat at the