Miss Glanville like a heroine--I hate your
heroines. She had none of that "modest ease," and "quiet dignity," and
"English grace" (Lord help us!) of which certain writers speak with
such applause. Thank Heaven, she was alive. She had great sense, but
the playfulness of a child; extreme rectitude of mind, but with the
tenderness of a gazelle: if she laughed, all her countenance, lips,
eyes, forehead, cheeks laughed too: "Paradise seemed opened in her
face:" if she looked grave, it was such a lofty and upward, yet sweet
and gentle gravity, that you might (had you been gifted with the least
imagination,) have supposed, from the model of her countenance, a new
order of angels between the cherubim and the seraphim, the angels of
Love and Wisdom. She was not, perhaps, quite so silent in society as
my individual taste would desire; but when she spoke, it was with a
propriety of thought and diction which made me lament when her voice
had ceased. It was as if something beautiful in creation had stopped
suddenly.

Enough of this now. I was lazily turning (the morning after Lady
Roseville's) over some old books, when Vincent entered. I observed that
his face was flushed, and his eyes sparkled with more than their usual
brilliancy. He looked carefully round the room, and then approaching his
chair towards mine, said, in a low tone--"Pelham, I have something
of importance on my mind which I wish to discuss with you; but let
me entreat you to lay aside your usual levity, and pardon me if I say
affectation; meet me with the candour and plainness which are the real
distinctions of your character."

"My Lord Vincent," I replied, "there is, in your words, a depth and
solemnity which pierce me, through one of N--'s best stuffed coats, even
to the very heart. Let me ring for my poodle and some eau de Cologne,
and I will hear you as you desire, from the alpha to the omega of your
discourse."

Vincent bit his lip, but I rung, had my orders executed, and then
settling myself and my poodle on the sofa, I declared my readiness to
attend to him.

"My dear friend," said he, "I have often seen that, in spite of all your
love of pleasure, you have your mind continually turned towards higher
and graver objects; and I have thought the better of your talents, and
of your future success, for the little parade you make of the one, and
the little care you appear to pay to the other: for

"''tis a common proof, That lowliness is young Ambition's la