l powers
should not be conceded to them, and that they should not be eligible for
all civil appointments _pari passu_, or even in priority to Englishmen.

Wherein his Honour did warmly agree, assuring me with fatherly
benignancy of the pleasure with which he would hear of my appointment to
be Head of a District somewhere on the Punjab frontier, and mentioning
how a certain native Bengali gentleman of his acquaintance,
Deputy-Commissioner GRISH CHUNDER DE, Esq., M.A., had distinguished
himself splendidly (according to the printed testimony of Hon'ble
KIPLING) in such a post of danger.

I replied, that I was not passionately in love with personal danger, and
that in my case _cedant arma togae_, and my tongue was mightier than my
sword, but that there was no doubt that we Bengalis were intellectually
competent to govern the whole country, provided only that we were backed
up from behind by a large English military force to uphold our
authority, as otherwise we should soon be the pretty pickles, owing to
brutal violence from Sikhs, Rajputs, Marathas, and similar uncivilised
coarse races.

And Sir CHETWYND expressed his lively satisfaction that I appreciated
some of the advantages of the British occupation.

Thus, through my presence of mind in boldly grappling with the nettle, I
turned what might have been a disaster into a conspicuous triumph, for
all the company, seeing the favour I was in with such a big wig as
Hon'ble CUMMERBUND, listened to me with spell-bound enchantment,
especially my friend HOWARD'S sprightly young sister, a damsel of
distinguished personal attractiveness, who was seated on my other side.
Her birth-name is LOUISA-GWENDOLEN; but her family and intimates, so she
did inform me, call her "WEE-WEE."

Of the dinner itself I can speak highly, as being inexpressibly
superior, both in stylishness of service and for the quality of the
food, etc., to any meals hitherto furnished by Mrs MANKLETOW'S mahogany
board. Nevertheless, I wondered to find the ALLBUTT-INNETTS behind the
times in one respect, viz., the lighting, which was with old-fashioned
candles and semi-obscured lamps, instead of the more modern and
infinitely more brilliant illumination of gas! Here, at least, though in
other particulars of very mediocre elegance, I must pronounce
Porticobello House the more up to date.

In taking leave, I did thank Hon'ble Sir CHETWYND CUMMERBUND profusely
for so discreetly retaining its feline contents withi