man beauty, Sir John Oxon, was indeed much talked of at this
time. Having lived a mad rake's life at the University, and there
gained a reputation which had made him the fashionable leader of the
wickedest youths of their time, he had fallen heir to his fortune and
title just as he left Cambridge and was prepared to launch himself into
town life. He had appeared in the world preceded by stories of
successful intrigues, daring indeed when connected with the name of a
mere youth; but as he was beautiful to behold, and had gayety and grace
and a daring wit, such rumours but fixed public attention upon him and
made him the topic of the hour. He was not of the build or stateliness
of Lord Roxholm, and much younger, but was as much older than his years
in sin as the other was in unusual acquirement. He was a slender and
exquisitely built youth, with perfect features, melting blue eyes, and
rich fair hair which, being so beautiful, he disdained to conceal with
any periwig, however elaborate and fashionable. When Roxholm returned
to England, this male beauty's star was in the ascendant. All the town
talked of him, his dress, his high play, the various intrigues he was
engaged in and was not reluctant that the world of fashion should hear
of. The party of young gentlemen who had been led by him at the
University took him for their model in town, so that there were a set
of beaux whose brocaded coats, lace steenkirks, sword-knots, and
carriage were as like Sir John's as their periwigs were like his fair
locks, they having been built as similar as possible by their
peruquiers. His coach and four were the finest upon the road, his chair
and chariot, in the town; he had fought a duel about a woman, and there
were those who more than suspected that the wildest band of Mohocks
who played pranks at night was formed of half a dozen pretty fellows
who were known as the "Jack Oxonites."

He was not a young man whose acquirements were to be praised or
emulated, but there were pretty women who flattered him and men of
fashion who found pleasure in his society, for a time at least, and
many a strange scandal connected itself with his name.

He sang, he told wicked stories, he gambled, and at certain
coffee-houses shone with resplendent light as a successful beau and
conqueror.

'Twas at a club that Roxholm first beheld him. He had heard him spoken
of but had not seen him, and going into the coffee-room one evening
with a friend, a Captai