rson Harry," as he called young Esmond, by
constantly praising his parts and admiring his boyish stock of learning.

It may seem ungracious in one who has received a hundred favors from his
patron to speak in any but a reverential manner of his elders; but the
present writer has had descendants of his own, whom he has brought
up with as little as possible of the servility at present exacted
by parents from children (under which mask of duty there often lurks
indifference, contempt, or rebellion): and as he would have his
grandsons believe or represent him to be not an inch taller than Nature
has made him: so, with regard to his past acquaintances, he would
speak without anger, but with truth, as far as he knows it, neither
extenuating nor setting down aught in malice.

So long, then, as the world moved according to Lord Castlewood's wishes,
he was good-humored enough; of a temper naturally sprightly and easy,
liking to joke, especially with his inferiors, and charmed to receive
the tribute of their laughter. All exercises of the body he could
perform to perfection--shooting at a mark and flying, breaking horses,
riding at the ring, pitching the quoit, playing at all games with great
skill. And not only did he do these things well, but he thought he did
them to perfection; hence he was often tricked about horses, which he
pretended to know better than any jockey; was made to play at ball and
billiards by sharpers who took his money, and came back from London
wofully poorer each time than he went, as the state of his affairs
testified when the sudden accident came by which his career was brought
to an end.

He was fond of the parade of dress, and passed as many hours daily at
his toilette as an elderly coquette. A tenth part of his day was spent
in the brushing of his teeth and the oiling of his hair, which was
curling and brown, and which he did not like to conceal under a periwig,
such as almost everybody of that time wore. (We have the liberty of our
hair back now, but powder and pomatum along with it. When, I wonder,
will these monstrous poll-taxes of our age be withdrawn, and men allowed
to carry their colors, black, red, or gray, as Nature made them?) And as
he liked her to be well dressed, his lady spared no pains in that matter
to please him; indeed, she would dress her head or cut it off if he had
bidden her.

It was a wonder to young Esmond, serving as page to my lord and lady,
to hear, day after day, to suc