ssessed of more Valour than Discretion, and whose Skill at Fence and
in the Field is beyond his Years, crossed Swords on Wednesday Night
with a Young Nobleman from the Thunderer. The Cause of this Deplorable
Quarrel, which had its Origin at the Ball, is purported to have been
a Young Lady of Wit and Beauty. (& we doubt it not; for, alas! the Sex
hath Much to answer for of this Kind.)

"The Gentlemen, with their Seconds, repaired after the Assembly to the
Coffee House. 'Tis said upon Authority that H-s L-dsh-p owes his Life to
the Noble Spirit of our Young American, who cast down his Blade rather
than sheathe it in his Adversary's Body, thereby himself receiving a
Grievous, the' happily not Mortal, Wound. Our Young Gentleman is become
the Hero of the Town, and the Subject of Prodigious Anxiety of all the
Ladies thereof."

"There's for you, my lad!" says he; "Mr. Green has done for you both
cleverly."

"Upon my soul," I cried, raising up in bed, "he should be put in the
gatehouse for his impudence! My Lord,--"

"Don't 'My Lord' me," says Comyn; "plain 'Jack' will do."

There was no resisting such a man: and I said as much. And took his hand
and called him 'Jack,' the doctor posing before the mirror the while,
stroking his rues. "Out upon you both," says he, "for a brace of
sentimental fools!"

"Richard," said Comyn, presently, with a roguish glance at the doctor,
"there were some reason in our fighting had it been over a favour of
Miss Manners. Eh? Come, doctor," he cried, "you will break your neck
looking for the reflection of wrinkles. Come, now, we must have little
Finery's letter. I give you my word Chartersea is as ugly as all three
heads of Cerberus, and as foul as a ship's barrel of grease. I tell you
Miss Dorothy would sooner marry you."

"And she might do worse, my Lord," the doctor flung back, with a strut.

"Ay, and better. But I promise you Richard and I are not such fools as
to think she will marry his Grace. We must have the little coxcomb's
letter."

"Well, have it you must, I suppose," returns the doctor. And with that
he draws it from his pocket, where he has it buttoned in. Then he took a
pinch of Holland and began.

The first two pages had to deal with Miss Dorothy's triumph, to which
her father made full justice. Mr. Manners world have the doctor (and all
the province) to know that peers of the realm, soldiers, and statesmen
were at her feet. Orders were as plentiful in his drawing-room as