"When a man offers to back his assertion, or opinion, by his money," answered I, "it is the strongest proof that it is well founded. So I'm willing to believe that you have good reasons for what you say." "You dine at Claverton's to-day ?" asked Singleton after a pause. I answered in the affirmative. "From thence," said he, "we all adjourn to Dick Lutwyche's, where we shall have a glorious night." I saw that I could not easily bring Singleton to close quarters, but I did not care to persevere; for his evasion influenced my former suspicions to such a degree, that the slightest proof would suffice to ignite them into certainty. NOTHING Worthy of commemoration passed at Claverton House this evening, and a little before midnight we to wit, Singleton, Broughton, Lessingham, and I-adjourned to the residence of Dick Lutwyche, who celebrated one of his attic suppers that night. Lutwyche's house was a sort of chapel of ease to that great temple of wit and good-fellowship, the Beefsteak Club, and the time of assembling there was usually that hour which is peculiarly sacred to the communion of choice spirits. Lutwyche, who lived only for wit and conviviality, was at the summit of his ambition and felicity, when seated at the head of his own supper-table, surrounded by the most precious geniuses of the day, who casting behind them all worldly cares, abandoned themselves for the time to a sort of intellectual libertinism. How innocent! how delightful! how noble! such relaxations, when compared with the contemptible and vicious recreations of ordinary men! "O noctes cœnæque Deum! quibus ipse, meique, Prout cuique libido est, At Lutwyche's suppers, heavy drinking was not in vogue; indeed I think it was considered rather bad taste; at least any man might neglect the bottle without fearing thereby to check good-fellowship. Sometimes at these exquisite entertainments, the conversation was of the most purely classical kind; and I know not whether these celestial suppers did not delight me more when the discourse assumed this calm and elegant character, than when I was kept in a continual state of excitement by the brilliant wit which it more frequently exhibited. At such meetings all distinctions of character were levelled, all agitating passions suspended, and the communion of mind was unalloyed by any human affection. The conversation this night was, at its commencement, of a somewhat serious nature, but was succeeded by more lively and brilliant talk. I will detail as much of it as my note-book furnishes. "Well, Dick," said Singleton, "we shall soon be engaged in the fatiguing business of ambition, and in the snatches only of happiness which we shall then be able to enjoy, in my opinion there will be no morsel more relishing than this." "Ah!" returned Lutwyche, "I have long had a melancholy presentiment that, when you come into office, there will be an end to our society; accordingly, I have calculated the chances and probabilities of your disappointment with the greatest anxiety and hope. I have no doubt that it is highly desirable, both for yourselves and the nation, that you should form an administration; but as such an event will make you abandon my supper, it will be to me a deprivation of my intellectual livelihood. I shall be like a poor ferryman, who is ruined by the building of a bridge—a great public good will be effected at the expense of a great private evil.” "Don't despond yet," said I; "great public works are so often planned but never accomplished, that I never give credit to reports till I see the architect has actually commenced his operations." "At all events," said Broughton, "be assured that we shall never let you want; and as a security, I propose a subscription. I myself, although I shall have greater demands than any of my colleagues, am willing to contribute a night a-month. If we all do the same, this will suffice at least to keep you alive; and if we give you, moreover, any spare nights that we may have, you will be pretty well off. I propose, therefore, that we engage ourselves to sup with Dick Lutwyche the first Wednesday in every month." "An excellent motion," cried Lessingham; "I second it with all my heart." And it was carried by acclamation." "I beg to return my most grateful and humble thanks," returned Dick; "and suffer me to seal the engagement with a toast: 6 May the joint stock company of wit and friendship never fail! and may ill-luck attend him who is the first to withdraw his share from our capital!" "Bravo!" cried all; and the toast was drunk with nine times nine. "Charge your glasses!" said Singleton, "the last toast has an inseparable companion : The health of our valued host, in every sense of the word, the best of good-fellows! and may he long live the chairman and director of our illustrious corporation!" " We all drank this toast upon our legs, with heartfelt applause. Lutwyche, who besides being one of the most agreeable companions, was really one of the best of souls, expressed his acknowledgments with glistening eyes. "I do believe," said he, "that there is not a man present who would willingly secede from our society, but, alas! what losses may it not suffer by death and a thousand accidents? Twenty years hence, how altered may be its state! I may perhaps be food for worms, or else sitting by my solitary fire-side, mournfully musing over these departed days, or indulging in melancholy recollections of the wit and conviviality of Dick Lutwyche's suppers." "Order! order!" cried Broughton; "we are transgressing bounds, and absolutely getting into pathetics, which will never do; come, Dick, give us a song, and make us merry." Dick immediately obeyed the call, and sang with great energy and spirit, a capital song, the burden of which was to recommend social pleasure as paramount to every other species of enjoyment. The song, however, was an exception to our usual practice. They only sing who cannot talk, and as we possessed the superior capabilities, we had no occasion to resort to their meagre substitute. We separated soberly and decently at an early hour. CHAPTER XXXI. On Friday, when another trial of strength was to take place between us and the Ministry, I went down to the House full of expectation; for I thought that in the course of the evening some indications would surely be exhibited, which would direct the suspicions which were floating through my mind into some certain channel. The first symptom which struck me was a very strong one. Anstruther, instead of occupying his usual and proper place among the Opposition-leaders, sat on the bench under the gallery, a part of the House which is ordinarily resorted to by neutrals and third parties, but was now possessed only by a few miserable old grumblers and regular bores, who spoke upon every question, objected to every measure, and proposed none. Among these outcasts of parties, these refuse of politicians, now sat the first member of the House of Commons. How were the mighty fallen! I happened to come in late, for Singleton, who opened the debate, had been on his legs some minutes. The House was of course crowded, but my place was ticketed. It happened to be next to Mr. Nevile, to whom I remarked Anstruther's ominous change of situation; but he seemed to think nothing of it, or else declined particularly noticing my comment. As soon as Singleton had concluded, Anstruther rose. In his speech he kept close to the question which he discussed with a serious earnestness, as if it only occupied his attention, carefully avoiding the slightest expression of, or allusion to, party-feeling. He argued it not as a Whig, but professedly upon its merits solely, and inclining to a moderate tone. He expressed his difference of opinion from, and his incapability of going the lengths of his right honourable friend, the mover, upon several points. He was followed by Mr. Secretary Deveril, who, after answering Singleton, adverted to Anstruther in the following terms: "But I cannot refrain from expressing the feelings of satisfaction with which I have listened to the speech of the Right Honourable Gentleman under the gallery. He has, in a great measure anticipated the reply which I had prepared for the Right Honourable mover, by stating in much abler and happier language than I can command, the objections to his motion. I can assure him that his late friends and coadjutors regarded more with sorrow than with anger his abandonment of those principles in which he had been bred up, and of which he had for so many years been the most powerful, and was reputed to be the most sincere, although he had not always proved the most orthodox champion. I am persuaded, therefore, that they have perceived with the same delight which animated myself, the indications of repentance, and a disposition to return to the bosom of his political faith, which the Right Honourable Gentleman has this evening exbibited; and that if he should seek readmission among us, there will be (not to speak it profanely) more joy over this one sinner that repenteth, than in ninety and nine just men who need no repentance. The Right Honourable Gentleman was certainly guilty of a great error in apostatizing from his principles; but having apostatized back again from the party which he had joined to that from which he had deserted, this double dereliction will neutralize the reproach which attached to him when it stood single, and will of course restore him in every respect to the situation which he formerly occupied." Austruther's emotions during this severe castigation were evidently of the most poignant kind. His colour came and went; his lip quivered, and his whole frame was in agitation. Immediately the minister had ceased, he started to his feet, but was promptly stopped by shouts of "Spoke! spoke! spoke!” from all parts of the House. In opposition to these were a few feeble calls of his name, but they were wholly overborne by the former clamour. He still, however, kept his legs, and endeavoured to raise his voice above the storm, but in vain: the Speaker was at length obliged to request that he would resume his seat, and accordingly, with a look of mingled agony, scorn, and defiance, he sat down. Broughton now got up, and incontinently there was a calm. He deeply regretted the deviation from the question of which the Right Honourable Secretary had been guilty. Yet though he had the highest confidence in his Right Honourable friend's attachment to the principles which he had lately espoused, and his fidelity to the engagements which he had come under, yet he trusted he might be permitted to observe that his Right Honourable friend had that night used a tone, which was not the best adapted to express those sentiments. He took the liberty of making this suggestion, because it appeared to him expedient for his Right Honourable friend to be peculiarly circumspect in his language and conduct, inasmuch as it had been insinuated, although most calumniously, that his motives for joining the party to whom he at present belonged, were not of the purest kind. He should therefore be most guarded not to afford his enemies any handle for asserting that personal ambition was the guide of his public conduct. The Honourable and Learned Gentleman, after a few more indifferent remarks, resumed his seat. It was not difficult to detect the insidious purport of Broughton's observations and advice. Anstruther's countenance betrayed the strongest indignation at what fell from him, and again made an attempt to be heard, but was again assailed by opposition. He exclaimed loudly, and even passionately, against this treatment, which he justly declared to be unparalleled; for the House never before refused to hear the defence of one of its members, whose character had been attacked within its walls. But such was the rancorous determination to cry down this noble spirit, that his appeal produced no effect, and he was not permitted to proceed. Anstruther left the House. A thought now struck me, that the Whig body was actually undermined. I had by this time become pretty confident, and I suspected that Broughton was a principal in the plot. As I was not a party to this scheme, I should of course be blown up with the majority, as soon as it transpired; therefore I thought I might as well sell my life dearly and generously, when I should perhaps only anticipate my fate by a few days. In a |