could not help looking with so much significance at this mention of Lord
Squander, that Mrs Compton coloured a little, and asked with some
warmth, whether she knew anything of that young nobleman.

"Why, madam," answered the young lady, "what I know is very little; but
if you desire me to inform you, it is my duty to speak the truth." "Oh,
to be sure, miss," replied Mrs Compton, a little angrily, "we all know
that your _judgment_ and _knowledge_ of the world are superior to what
anybody else can boast; and therefore I shall be infinitely obliged to
you for any _information_ you may be pleased to give." "Indeed, madam,"
answered the young lady, "I have very little of either to boast, nor am
I personally acquainted with the nobleman you are talking of; but I have
a cousin, a very good boy, who is at the same public school with his
lordship, and he has given me such a character of him as does not much
prepossess me in his favour." "And what may this wise cousin of yours
have said of his lordship?" "_Only_, madam, that he is one of the worst
boys in the whole school; that he has neither genius nor application for
anything that becomes his rank and situation; that he has no taste for
anything but gaming, horse-racing, and the most contemptible amusements;
that, though his allowance is large, he is continually running in debt
with everybody that will trust him; and that he has broken his word so
often that nobody has the least confidence in what he says. Added to
this, I have heard that he is so haughty, tyrannical, and overbearing,
that nobody can long preserve his friendship without the meanest
flattery and subservience to all his vicious inclinations; and, to
finish all, that he is of so ungrateful a temper, that he was never
known to do an act of kindness to any one, or to care about anything but
himself."

Here Miss Matilda could not help interposing with warmth. She said,
"that his lordship had nothing in his character or manners that did not
perfectly become a nobleman of the most elevated soul. Little grovelling
minds, indeed, which are always envious of their superiors, might give a
disagreeable turn to the generous openness of this young nobleman's
temper. That, as to gaming and running in debt, they were so essential
to a man of fashion, that nobody who was not born in the city, and
oppressed by city prejudices, would think of making the least objection
to them." She then made a panegyric upon his lordship's perso