ed to plunge him into these disasters. "He was my
friend," replied his lordship, "and a man of large property; but he was
mad--quite mad. I remember his leaping a lame pony over a stone wall,
simply because Sir Marmaduke bet him a dozen that he broke his neck in
the attempt; and sending a bullet through a poor pedlar's pack because
Bob Darrell said the piece wouldn't carry so far." "Upon another
occasion," began the Exquisite, in his turn, "he jumped into a
horse-pond after dinner, in order to prove it was not six feet deep;
and overturned a bottle of eau-de-cologne in Lady Emilia's face, to
convince me that she was not painted. Poor fellow! The first experiment
cost him a dress, and the second an heiress." "I have heard," resumed
the Nobleman, "that he lost his election for ---- by lampooning the
mayor; and was dismissed from his place in the Treasury for challenging
Lord C----." "The last accounts I heard of him," said Caustic, "told me
that Lady Tarrel had forbid him her house for driving a sucking-pig
into her drawing-room; and that young Hawthorn had run him through for
boasting of favours from his sister!" "These gentlemen are really too
severe," remarked young Candour to us. "Not a jot," we said to
ourselves.

"This will be a terrible blow for his sister," said a young man who had
been listening in silence. "A fine girl--a very fine girl," said the
Exquisite. "And a fine fortune," said the Nobleman; "the mines of Peru
are nothing to her." "Nothing at all," observed the Sneerer; "she has
no property there. But I would not have you caught, Harry; her income
was good, but is dipped, horribly dipped. Guineas melt very fast when
the cards are put by them." "I was not aware Maria was a gambler,"
said the young man, much alarmed. "Her brother is, sir," replied his
informant. The querist looked sorry, but yet relieved. We could see
that he was not quite disinterested in his inquiries. "However,"
resumed the young Cynic, "his profusion has at least obtained him many
noble and wealthy friends." He glanced at his hearers, and went on: "No
one that knew him will hear of his distresses without being forward to
relieve them. He will find interest for his money in the hearts of his
friends." Nobility took snuff; Foppery played with his watch-chain;
Hypocrisy looked grave. There was long silence. We ventured to regret
the misuse of natural talents, which, if properly directed, might have
rendered their possessor useful to the in