th, or with the loveliness of La Belle Hamilton--of
the Duchess of Richmond--of Lady ----, the person of Roxalana, the smart
humour of Mrs. Nelly----"

"Or what say you to the bewitching sorceries of Lady Cynthia?" demanded
his companion.

"Faith, I would have kept these to myself," said the Earl, "to follow
your prudent example. But since you ask me, I fairly own I cannot tell
what to say of them; only I think of them twenty times as often as all
the beauties I have spoken of. And yet she is neither the twentieth part
so beautiful as the plainest of these Court beauties, nor so witty as
the dullest I have named, nor so modish--that is the great matter--as
the most obscure. I cannot tell what makes me dote on her, except that
she is a capricious as her whole sex put together."

"That I should think a small recommendation," answered his companion.

"Small, do you term it," replied the Earl, "and write yourself a brother
of the angle? Why, which like you best? to pull a dead strain on a
miserable gudgeon, which you draw ashore by main force, as the fellows
here tow in their fishing-boats--or a lively salmon, that makes your
rod crack, and your line whistle--plays you ten thousand mischievous
pranks--wearies your heart out with hopes and fears--and is only laid
panting on the bank, after you have shown the most unmatchable display
of skill, patience, and dexterity?--But I see you have a mind to go
on angling after your own old fashion. Off laced coat, and on brown
jerkin;--lively colours scare fish in the sober waters of the Isle of
Man;--faith, in London you will catch few, unless the bait glistens a
little. But you _are_ going?--Well, good luck to you. I will take to
the barge;--the sea and wind are less inconstant than the tide you have
embarked on."

"You have learned to say all these smart things in London, my lord,"
answered Julian; "but we shall have you a penitent for them, if Lady
Cynthia be of my mind. Adieu, and pleasure till we meet."

The young men parted accordingly; and while the Earl betook him to his
pleasure voyage, Julian, as his friend had prophesied, assumed the dress
of one who means to amuse himself with angling. The hat and feather were
exchanged for a cap of grey cloth; the deeply-laced cloak and doublet
for a simple jacket of the same colour, with hose conforming; and
finally, with rod in hand, and pannier at his back, mounted upon a
handsome Manx pony, young Peveril rode briskly over the co