. For his literary attainments, they must be
judged of by their fruits. I cannot better conclude my attempt
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to describe his qualifications than by offering his first essay to your
notice, a school-boy tribute to friendship.

TRUE FRIENDSHIP.

'Infido scurrae distabit amicus.'
Horace.

How very seldom do we find
A relish in the human mind
For friendship pure and real;
How few its approbation seek,
How oft we count its censures weak,
Disguising what we feel.
Adulation lives to please,
Truth dies the victim of disease,
Forgotten by the world:
The flattery of the fool delights
The wise, rebuke our pride affrights,
And virtue's banner's furl'd.
Wherefore do we censure fate,
When she withholds the perfect state
Of friendship from our grasp,
If we ourselves have not the power,
The mind to enjoy the blessed hour,
The fleeting treasure clasp?

This (I have reason to believe his first poetical essay) was presented
me on my birthday, when we had been about two years together at Eton:
a short time afterwards I surprised him one morning writing in his
bedroom; my curiosity was not a little excited by the celerity with
which I observed he endeavoured to conceal his papers. "I must see what
you are about, Bernard," said I. "Treason, Horatio," replied the young
author. "Would you wish to be implicated, or become a confederate? If
so, take the oath of secrecy, and read." Judge of my surprise, when, on
casting my eye over his lucubrations, I perceived he had been sketching
the portraits of the group, with
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whom we were in daily association at our dame's. As I perceive by a
glance at his work that most of his early friends have parts assigned
them in his colloquial scenes, I consider the preservation of this
trifle important, as it will furnish a key to the characters.

[Illustration: page032]

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ETON SKETCHES OF CHARACTER.

'----I'll paint for grown up people's knowledge,
The manners, customs, and affairs of college.'

PORTRAITS IN MY DAME'S DINING-ROOM.

At the head of the large table on the right hand you will perceive the
Honourable Lilyman Lionise, the second son of a nobleman, whose ancient
patrimony has been nearly dissipated between his evening parties at
the club-houses, in French hazard, or Rouge et noir, and his morning
speculations with his betting book at Tattersa