ertheless, such was one of the
important provisions of the "perfection of reason," until the recent
reforms in English law; and it has struck us as surprising, that an
ingenious writer of fiction, who has recently charmed his readers with a
tale, the interest of which turns principally on the vicissitudes of
practice, did not bethink him of this peculiar feature of his country's
laws; inasmuch as it would have supplied mystery sufficient for a dozen
ordinary romances, and improbabilities enough for a hundred. That Sir
Gervaise and his companions should be ignorant of the "law of the
half-blood," is, consequently, very much a matter of course; and no one
ought to be surprised that the worthy baronet's repeated allusions to
the "whole," and the "half," were absolutely enigmas, which neither had
the knowledge necessary to explain.

"What _can_ the poor fellow mean?" demanded the admiral, more concerned
than he remembered ever before to have been, on any similar occasion.
"One could wish to serve him as much as possible, but all this about
'_nullus_,' and 'whole blood,' and 'half,' is so much gibberish to
me--can you make any thing of it,--hey! Atwood?"

"Upon my word, Sir Gervaise, it seems a matter for a judge, rather than
for man-of-war's men, like ourselves."

"It certainly can have no connection with this rising of the Jacobites?
_That_ is an affair likely to trouble a loyal subject, in his last
moments, Mr. Rotherham!"

"Sir Wycherly's habits and age forbid the idea that he knows more of
_that_, sir, than is known to us all. His request, however, to 'turn the
will round,' I conceive to be altogether explicit. Several capital
treatises have appeared lately on the 'human will,' and I regret to say,
my honoured friend and patron has not always been quite as orthodox on
that point, as I could wish. I, therefore, consider his words as
evidence of a hearty repentance."

Sir Gervaise looked about him, as was his habit when any droll idea
crossed his mind; but again suppressing the inclination to smile, he
answered with suitable gravity--

"I understand you, sir; you think all these inexplicable terms are
connected with Sir Wycherly's religious feelings. You may certainly be
right, for it exceeds my knowledge to connect them with any thing else.
I wish, notwithstanding, he had not disowned this noble young lieutenant
of ours! Is it quite certain the young man is a Virginian?"

"So I have always understood it, sir. He