elieves that
he is one.

As all natural geniuses are supposed to have something very remarkable
in their appearance, we will just take a sketch of the miser's son, as
he alternately leans on the table or stalks about the room during his
earnest conversation with his cousin. He has decidedly sentimental hair;
long, black, shining, and with a tendency to curl; he has what might be
termed poetical eyes, bright, piercing, and very restless; the sharp,
aquiline nose of his father, slightly modified; and a mouth and brow
which curl and knit in a manner that may be poetic, but might be
disagreeable, under less soothing influences. That he is very handsome
no one could dispute, and it is equally certain that he has an air much
above the position in which he was born; but the expression of his face
inspires distrust rather than confidence, and conveys the impression
that there is more of passion than feeling beneath the fiery eyes and
compressed mouth.

A great contrast to this family genius is presented in the person of his
cousin Rowland, now addressing him earnestly and seriously upon the
grave subjects naturally uppermost at such a time. He, too, is
sufficiently good-looking, with an open, though grave, cast of
countenance, fine, soft, hazel eyes, and a tall, manly figure. By
'sufficiently good-looking,' I mean that he is neither very handsome nor
ugly, and when his lady friends debate upon his outer man they generally
wind up by saying, 'Well, if he isn't handsome, he is very genteel.'

We are not going to repeat here the well-known fable of the 'Hare and
the Tortoise,' but something of the character of those animals may be
found in the cousins. At their first dame's school, as well as at the
more advanced grammar school of their little town. Howel was always able
to beat Rowland in swiftness, whilst Rowland effectually distanced
Howel in the long run. It was Rowland who carried off the prizes, when
study and prolonged endeavour were necessary to obtain them, whilst
Howel eclipsed all his contemporaries, if a theme were to be written, or
a poem learnt.

Such differences are so frequent, and have been so often discussed that
it is scarcely necessary to pursue the contrast further; but the result
at the present stands thus. Howel, the elder of the two, has dipped a
little into everything; has gained a reputation for genius; has been
articled to an attorney--but is in no apparent danger of becoming
one--has written variou