ay to its daily occupations. Then when you at
length get to these occupations you pay no attention to them, and engage
in them with no ardour--all your thoughts and powers of mind being fixed
elsewhere. Then the day's work being slurred over, you neglect your
friends and relatives, your natural companions and usual associates in
life, that you may go and have a glance at the dear personage, or a look
up at her windows, or a peep at her carriage in the Park. Then at night
the artless blandishments of home bore you; mamma's conversation palls
upon you; the dishes which that good soul prepares for the dinner of
her favourite are sent away untasted,--the whole meal of life, indeed,
except one particular plat, has no relish. Life, business, family ties,
home, all things useful and dear once, become intolerable, and you are
never easy except when you are in pursuit of your flame.

Such I believe to be not unfrequently the state of mind amongst
ill-regulated young gentlemen, and such indeed was Mr. H. Foker's
condition, who, having been bred up to indulge in every propensity
towards which he was inclined, abandoned himself to this one with his
usual selfish enthusiasm. Nor because he had given his friend Arthur
Pendennis a great deal of good advice on a former occasion, need men of
the world wonder that Mr. Foker became passion's slave in his turn. Who
among us has not given a plenty of the very best advice to his friends?
Who has not preached, and who has practised? To be sure, you, madam,
are perhaps a perfect being, and never had a wrong thought in the whole
course of your frigid and irreproachable existence: or sir, you are a
great deal too strong-minded to allow any foolish passion to interfere
with your equanimity in chambers or your attendance on 'Change; you are
so strong that you don't want any sympathy. We don't give you any, then;
we keep ours for the humble and weak, that struggle and stumble and get
up again, and so march with the rest of mortals. What need have you of
a hand who never fall? Your serene virtue is never shaded by passion,
or ruffled by temptation, or darkened by remorse; compassion would be
impertinence for such an angel: but then with such a one companionship
becomes intolerable; you are, from the elevation of your very virtue
and high attributes, of necessity lonely; we can't reach up and talk
familiarly with such potentatess good-bye, then; our way lies with
humble folks, and not with serene high