ases, cant, and rapture
of _dilettanteism_.

After this, she drew a paper from between the leaves of her still open
book, which she showed him. It contained a list of all the company she
had engaged to attend his benefit. "I will call on some others," said
she, "to-morrow after prayers. I am sorry this is a week in which I can
not see my friends at their assemblies, but on Sunday you know it will
be over, and I shall have my house full in the evening. Next Monday will
be Easter, and I shall be at our dear Duchess's private masquerade, and
then I hope to see and engage the whole world. Here are ten guineas,"
said she in a half whisper to the obsequious Signor; "you may mention
what I gave for _my_ ticket, and it may set the fashion going." She then
pressed a ticket on Sir John and another on me. Ho declined, saying with
great _sang froid_, "You know we are _Handelians_." What excuse I made I
do not well know; I only know that I saved my ten guineas with a very
bad grace, but felt bound in conscience to add them to what I had before
subscribed to poor Dixon.

Hitherto I had never seen the gnat-strainer and the camel-swallower so
strikingly exemplified. And it is observable how forcibly the truth of
Scripture is often illustrated by those who live in the boldest
opposition to it. If you have any doubt while you are reading, go into
the world and your belief will be confirmed.

As we took our leave, she followed us to the door, I hoped it was with
the guinea for the fire; but she only whispered Sir John, though he did
not go himself, to prevail on such and such ladies to go to Squallini's
benefit. "Pray do," said she, "it will be charity. Poor fellow! he is
sadly out at elbows; he has a fine liberal spirit, and can hardly make
his large income do."

When we got into the street we admired the splendid chariot and laced
liveries of this _indigent_ professor, for whom our charity had been
just solicited, and whose "liberal spirit," my friend assured me,
consisted in sumptuous living and the indulgence of every fashionable
vice.

I could not restrain my exclamations as soon as we got out of hearing.
To Sir John, the scene was amusing, but to him it had lost the interest
of novelty. "I have known her ladyship about twelve years," said he,
"and of course have witnessed a dozen of these annual paroxysms of
devotion. I am persuaded that she is a gainer by them on her own
principle, that is, in the article of pleasure. This sh