ther mistake, which
the common retailers of character committed. Henry was said to be wholly
negligent, while William was reputed to be extremely attentive to the
other sex. William, indeed, was gallant, was amorous, and indulged his
inclination to the libertine society of women; but Henry it was who
_loved_ them. He admired them at a reverential distance, and felt so
tender an affection for the virtuous female, that it shocked him to
behold, much more to associate with, the depraved and vicious.

In the advantages of person Henry was still superior to William; and yet
the latter had no common share of those attractions which captivate weak,
thoughtless, or unskilful minds.

CHAPTER XIX.

About the time that Henry and William quitted college, and had arrived at
their twentieth year, the dean purchased a small estate in a village near
to the country residence of Lord and Lady Bendham; and, in the total want
of society, the dean's family were frequently honoured with invitations
from the great house.

Lord Bendham, besides a good estate, possessed the office of a lord of
the bed-chamber to his Majesty. Historians do not ascribe much
importance to the situation, or to the talents of nobles in this
department, nor shall this little history. A lord of the bed-chamber is
a personage well known in courts, and in all capitals where courts
reside; with this advantage to the inquirer, that in becoming acquainted
with one of those noble characters, he becomes acquainted with all the
remainder; not only with those of the same kingdom, but those of foreign
nations; for, in whatever land, in whatever climate, a lord of the bed-
chamber must necessarily be the self-same creature: one wholly made up of
observance, of obedience, of dependence, and of imitation--a borrowed
character--a character formed by reflection.

The wife of this illustrious peer, as well as himself, took her hue, like
the chameleon, from surrounding objects: her manners were not governed by
her mind but were solely directed by external circumstances. At court,
humble, resigned, patient, attentive: at balls, masquerades,
gaming-tables, and routs, gay, sprightly, and flippant; at her country
seat, reserved, austere, arrogant, and gloomy.

Though in town her timid eye in presence of certain personages would
scarcely uplift its trembling lid, so much she felt her own
insignificance, yet, in the country, till Lady Clementina arrived, there
was not o