overnor, was fond of
pleasure, of a glass of Rhenish in the garden-houses in the summer
evenings, and of a sly throw of the dice when the occasion offered; and
I took care to make friends with this person, who, being a college tutor
and an Englishman, was ready to go on his knees to any one who resembled
a man of fashion. Seeing me with my retinue of servants, my vis-a-vis
and chariots, my valets, my hussar, and horses, dressed in gold, and
velvet, and sables, saluting the greatest people in Europe as we met
on the course, or at the Spas, Runt was dazzled by my advances, and
was mine by a beckoning of the finger. I shall never forget the poor
wretch's astonishment when I asked him to dine, with two counts, off
gold plate, at the little room in the casino: he was made happy by
being allowed to win a few pieces of us, became exceedingly tipsy, sang
Cambridge songs, and recreated the company by telling us, in his horrid
Yorkshire French, stories about the gyps, and all the lords that had
ever been in his college. I encouraged him to come and see me oftener,
and bring with him his little viscount; for whom, though the boy always
detested me, I took care to have a good stock of sweetmeats, toys, and
picture-books when he came.

I then began to enter into a controversy with Mr. Runt, and confided to
him some doubts which I had, and a very very earnest leaning towards the
Church of Rome. I made a certain abbe whom I knew write me letters upon
transubstantiation, &c., which the honest tutor was rather puzzled to
answer. I knew that they would be communicated to his lady, as they
were; for, asking leave to attend the English service which was
celebrated in her apartments, and frequented by the best English then
at the Spa, on the second Sunday she condescended to look at me; on the
third she was pleased to reply to my profound bow by a curtsey; the next
day I followed up the acquaintance by another obeisance in the public
walk; and, to make a long story short, her Ladyship and I were in full
correspondence on transubstantiation before six weeks were over. My Lady
came to the aid of her chaplain; and then I began to see the prodigious
weight of his arguments: as was to be expected. The progress of this
harmless little intrigue need not be detailed. I make no doubt every one
of my readers has practised similar stratagems when a fair lady was in
the case.

I shall never forget the astonishment of Sir Charles Lyndon when, on
one s