ed periods. And as that old Ear', I think of Norwich, who in the time of Charles the First wa, the reigning wit of the court, in the time of Charles the Second was considered too dull even for a butt, so every age has its own literary stamp and coinage, and consigns the old circulation to its shelves and cabinets, as neglected curiosities. Cleveland could not become the fashion with the public as an author, though the coteries cried him up and the reviewers adored him-and the ladies of quality and the amateur dilettanti bought and bound his volumes of careful poetry and cadenced prose. Buf Cleveland had high birth and a handsome competence-his manners were delightful, his conversation fluent--and his disposition was as amiable as his mind was cultured. He became, therefore, a man greatly sought after in society-both respected and beloved. If he had not genius, he had great good sense; - he did not vex his urbane temper and kindly heart with walking after a vain shadow, and disquieting himself in vain. Satisfied with an honourable and unenvied reputation, he gave up the dream of that higher fame that he clearly saw was denied to his aspirations—and maintained his good-humour with the world, though in his secret soul he thought it was very wrong in its literary caprices. Cleveland never married: he lived partly in town, but principally at Temple Grove, a villa not far from Richmond. Here, with an excellent library, beautiful groun ls, and a circle of attached and admiring friends, which comprised all the more refined and intellectual members of what is termed, by emphasis, Good Society— this accomplished and elegant person passed a life, perhaps, much happier than he would have known, had his young visions been fulfilled-and it had become his stormy fate to lead the rebellious and fierce Democracy of Letters. Cleveland was indeed, if not a man of high and original genius, at least very superior to the generality of patrician authors. In retiring, himself, from frequent exercise in the arena, he gave up his mind with renewed zest to the thoughts and masterpieces of others. From a well-read man, he became a deeplyinstructed one. Metaphysics, and some of the material sciences, added new treasures to information more light and miscellaneous --and contributed to impart weight and dignity to a mind, that might otherwise have become somewhat effeminate and frivolous. His social habits, his clear sense, and benevolence of judgment, made him also an exquisite judge of all those indefinable nothings or little things, that, formed into a total, become knowledge of the Great World. I say the Great World - for of the world without the circle of the great, Cleveland naturally knew but little. But of all that related to that subtle orbit in which gentlemen and ladies move in elevated and etherial order, Cleve 1 land was a profound philosopher. It was the mode with many of his admirers to style him the Horace Walpole of the day. But though in some of the more external and superficial points of character, they were alike, Cleveland had considerably less cleverness and infinitely more heart. The late Mr. Maltravers, a man not indeed of literary habits, but an admirer of those who were, an elegant, high-bred, hospitable seigneur de province, had been one of the earliest of Cleveland's friends - Cleveland had been his fag at Eton-and he found Hal Maltravers-(Handsome Hal!)- had become the darling of the clubs, when he made his own debut in society. They were inseparable for a season or two-and when Mr. Maltravers married, and enamoured of country pursuits, proud of his old hall, and sensibly enough conceiving that he was a greater man in his own broad lands than in the republican aristocracy of London, settled peaceably at Lisle Court, Cleveland corresponded with him regularly, and visited him twice a year. Mrs. Maltravers died in giving birth to Ernest, her second son. Her husband loved her tenderly, and was long inconsolable for her loss. He could not bear the sight of the child that had cost him so dear a sacrifice. Cleveland and his sister, Lady Julia Danvers, were residing with him at the time of this melancholy event; and with judicious and delicate kindness, Lady Julia proposed to place the unconscious offender amongst her own children for some months. The proposition was accepted, and it was two years before the infant Ernest was restored to the paternal mansion. During the greater part of that time he had gone through all the events and revolutions of baby life, under the bachelor roof of Frederick Cleveland. The result of this was, that the latter loved the child like a father. Ernest's first intelligible word hailed Cleveland as 'papa'—and when the urchin was at length deposited at Lisle Court, Cleveland talked all the nurses out of breath with admonitions, and cautions, and injunctions, and promises, and threats, which might have put many a careful mother to the blush. This circumstance formed a new tie between Cleveland and his friend. Cleveland's visits were now three times a year 1 instead of twice. Nothing was done for Ernest without Cleveland's advice. He was not even breeched till Cleveland gave his grave consent. Cleveland chose his school, and took him to it, -and he spent a week of every vacation in Cleveland's house. The boy never got into scrape, or won a prize, or wanted a tip, or coveted a book, but what Cleveland was the first to know of it. Fortunately, too, Ernest manifested betimes tastes that the graceful author thought similar to his own. He early developed very remarkable talents and a love for learning-though these were accompanied with a vigour of life and soul-an energy-a daring—which gave Cleveland some uneasiness, and which did not appear to him at all congenial with the moody shyness of an embryo genius, or the regular placidity of a precocious scholar. Meanwhile the relation between father and son was rather a singular one. Mr. Maltravers had overcome his first not unnatural repugnance to the innocent cause of his irremediable loss. He was now fond and proud of his boy—as he was of all things that belonged to him. He spoiled and petted him even more than Cleveland did. But he interfered very little with his education or pursuits. His eldest son, Cuthbert, did not engross all his heart, but occupied all his care. With Cuthbert he connected the heritage of his ancient name, and the succession of his ancestral estates. Cuthbert was not a genius nor intended to be one, he was to be an accomplished gentleman, and a great proprietor. The father understood Cuthbert -and could see clearly both his character and career. He had no scruple in managing his education, and forming his growing mind. But Ernest puzzled him. He was even a little embarrassed in his society-he never quite overcame that feeling of strangeness towards him which he had experienced when he first received him back from Cleveland, and took Cleveland's directions about his health and so forth. It always seemed to him as if his friend shared his right to the child-and he thought it a sort of presumption to scold Ernest, though he very often swore at Cuthbert. As the younger son grew up, it certainly was evident that Cleveland did understand him better than his own father did; and so, as I have before said, on Cleveland the father was not displeased passively to shift the responsibility of the rearing. Perhaps Mr. Maltravers might not have been so indifferent, had Ernest's prospects been those of a younger son in general. If a profession had been necessary for him, Mr. Maltravers would have been naturally anxious to see him duly fitted for it. But from a maternal relation, Ernest inherited an estate of about four thousand pounds a-year; and he was thus made independent of his father. This loosened another tie between them; and so by degrees Mr. Maltravers learned to consider Ernest less as his own son, to be advised or rebuked, praised or controlled, than as a very affectionate, promising, engaging boy, who, somehow or other, without any trouble on his part, except that which took place before his birth, was very likely to do great credit to his family, and indulge his eccentricities upon four thousand pounds a-year. The first time that Mr. Maltravers was seriously perplexed about him was when the boy, at the age of sixteen, having taught himself German, and intoxicated his wild fancies with Werter' and 'The Robbers,' announced his desire, which sounded very like a demand, of going to Gottingen, instead of to Oxford. Never were Mr. Maltravers' notions of a proper and gentleman-like finish to education more completely and rudely assaulted. He stammered out a negative and hurried to his study to write a long letter to Cleveland, who himself an Oxford prize-man, would, he was persuaded, see the matter in the same light. Cleveland answered the letter in person : listened in silence to all the father had to say, and then strolled through the park with the young man. The result of the latter conference was, that Cleveland declared in favour of Ernest. "But, my dear Frederick," said the astonished father, "I thought the boy was to carry off all the prizes at Oxford?" "I carried off some, Maltravers; but I don't see what good they did me." "O Cleveland!" "I am serious.' "But it is such a very odd fancy." "Your son is a very odd young man.' - "I fear he is so learn at Gottingen?" -I fear he is, poor fellow! But what will he "Languages and Independence," said Cleveland. "And the classics-the classics-you are such an excellent Grecian! There are great Grecians in Germany," answered Cleveland; " and Ernest cannot well unlearn what he knows already. My dear Maltravers, the boy is not like most clever young men. He must either go through action, and adventure, and excitement, in his own way, or he will be an idle dreamer, or an impracticable enthusiast all his life. Let him alone. -So Cuthbert is gone into the Guards." "But he went first to Oxford." Humph! What a fine young man he is! "Not so tall as Ernest, but "A handsomer face," said Cleveland. "He is a son to be proud of in one way, as I hope Ernest will be in another. Will you show me your new hunter?" It was to the house of this gentleman, so judiciously made his guardian, that the student of Gottingen now took his melancholy way. CHAPTER XIII. "But if a little exercise you choose, THE house of Mr. Cleveland was an Italian villa adapted to an English climate. Through an Ionic arch you entered a domain of some eighty or a hundred acres in extent, but so well planted and so artfully disposed, that you could not have supposed the unseen boundaries enclosed no ampler a space. The road wound through the greenest sward, in which trees of venerable growth were relieved by a profusion of shrubs, and flowers gathered into baskets intertwined with creepers, or blooming from Etruscan vases, placed with a tasteful and classic care, in such spots as required the filling up, and harmonised well with the object chosen. Not an old ivygrown pollard, not a modest and bending willow, but was brought out, as it were, into a peculiar feature by the art of the owner. Without being overloaded, or too minutely elaborate, (the common fault of the rich man's villa,) the whole place seemed one diversified and cultivated garden; even the air almost took a different odour from different vegetation, with each winding of the road; and the colours of the flowers and foliage varied with every view. At length, when, on a lawn sloping towards a glassy lake, overhung by limes and chestnuts, and backed by a hanging wood, the house itself came in sight-the whole prospect seemed suddenly to receive its finishing and crowning feature. The house was long and low. A deep peristyle that supported the roof extended the whole length, and being raised above the basement, had the appearance of a covered terrace; broad flights of steps, with massive balustrades, supporting vases of aloes and orange-trees, led to the lawn; and under the peristyle were ranged statues, old Roman antiques, and rare exotics. On this side the lake another terrace, very broad, and adorned, at long intervals, with urns and sculpture, contrasted the sloping and shadowy bank beyond; and commanded, through unexpected openings in the trees, extensive views of the distant landscape, with the stately Thames winding through the midst. The interior of the house corresponded with the taste without. All the principal rooms, even those appropriated to sleep, were on the same floor. A small but lofty and octagonal hall, conducted to a suite of four rooms. At one extremity was a moderately-sized |