eeling which followed the circulation of the
bowl; the song, the speech, the story, the flash of wit, the jocose
roll of humour, and, above all, the forgiving approval (for how else
should we designate it?) of the ladies--all assailed him at once, and,
beneath their attacks, his reason and resolve,

"That column of true majesty in man,"

fell. Age, wisdom, youth, wit, humour, friendship, love, and
beauty--what could a raw shepherd lad oppose to all these? "The
request of his aged father, the injunction of the moral law, the
direct command of God!" some stern, _perhaps_ good man may reply.
William tried to control his career by means of these; but the attacks
were unceasing, various, distracting--the defence was in the hands of
one, and he, alas! too often disposed to admit the enemy. We will pass
rapidly over this part of our departed friend's career. He mingled, at
first sparingly, at length more freely, in the convivial habits of his
new friends; he felt the thrill of friendship; he was keenly alive to
the social glow which the bowl awakens; his heart also was elated by
the love of men of genius, and his vanity gratified by their
loudly-expressed admiration. Unfortunately, he engaged to write for a
new periodical which some of his friends were then attempting to
establish. Amid the solitude of his native hills he had experienced
the grateful and rapid awakening of noble ideas; he was surprised to
find that, in the city, amid the distractions of ambition, music,
love, and wine, he could only now and then call up his natural powers
to his aid. He had pledged himself to support the new periodical to a
certain extent; and, in order to fulfil his promise, at the
instigation of an acquaintance, he stimulated himself to its
accomplishment by means of brandy. This was the first time he had ever
drank ardent spirits for the sake of the effects which they produce.
The paper which he had written was universally admired, the sale of
the periodical was very much increased by its influence, and he was
plied by the proprietors with new and lucrative engagements.

On the very morning on which he had received these proposals, he also
received a letter from his aged father, informing him, that the
brother of the old man, who was engaged in commerce, and for whom he
had some time ago become surety, had failed, and that the whole of the
little earnings of his past life would be required to liquidate the
debt.

William closed wit