base, and took in a much wider circumference; and that he was, at once,
more liable to failure and error, and more capable of new discovery and
of intellectual achievement. But their ways in life being different,
they did not clash; and De Montaigne, who was sincerely interested in
Ernest's fate, was contented to harden his friend's mind against
the obstacles in his way, and leave the rest to experiment and to
Providence. They went up to London together: and De Montaigne returned
to Paris. Maltravers appeared once more in the haunts of the gay and
great. He felt that his new character had greatly altered his
position. He was no longer courted and caressed for the same vulgar
and adventitious circumstances of fortune, birth, and connections, as
before--yet for circumstances that to him seemed equally unflattering.
He was not sought for his merit, his intellect, his talents; but for
his momentary celebrity. He was an author in fashion, and run after as
anything else in fashion might have been. He was invited, less to be
talked to than to be stared at. He was far too proud in his temper,
and too pure in his ambition, to feel his vanity elated by sharing the
enthusiasm of the circles with a German prince or an industrious flea.
Accordingly he soon repelled the advances made to him, was reserved and
supercilious to fine ladies, refused to be the fashion, and became very
unpopular with the literary exclusives. They even began to run down the
works, because they were dissatisfied with the author. But Maltravers
had based his experiments upon the vast masses of the general Public. He
had called the PEOPLE of his own and other countries to be his audience
and his judges; and all the coteries in the world could have not injured
him. He was like the member for an immense constituency, who may offend
individuals, so long as he keep his footing with the body at large. But
while he withdrew himself from the insipid and the idle, he took care
not to become separated from the world. He formed his own society
according to his tastes: took pleasure in the manly and exciting topics
of the day; and sharpened his observation and widened his sphere as an
author, by mixing freely and boldly with all classes as a citizen. But
literature became to him as art to the artist--as his mistress to the
lover--an engrossing and passionate delight. He made it his glorious
and divine profession--he loved it as a profession--he devoted to its
pursuits and