me, from what I had seen and heard, that Lady Hungerford was the amulet that protected him. She was certainly the magnet that drew and kept him so long at Paris. She was the reason, best known to himself, which enabled him to see, speak to, serve, and admire Bertha without loving her. In short, Lady Hungerford, I supposed, was the Sacharissa who had rendered Bertha no more than an Amoret.

Well; I gave him joy. I was sincerely glad; for, from what I could observe, his Sacharissa was disposed to be more kind than Waller's. And yet

Ah! if it were not for those and yets, how many. hearts would be spared anxiety! how unfounded would be the complaint, that "the course of true love never did run smooth."

Yes; there was a strong "and yet " against poor Granville. For, with all his high connections, talents, reputation, admittance, he was but a younger brother, with a younger brother's fortune. Yet (for there was a yet on the other side) five thousand a year jointure, and love! if there was love!

From all this it will appear that I was reasoning upon my own case; for in truth I now discovered, if my suspicion was right, that Granville's case was very little different from mine; in which I only forgot the little circumstances that my father

was a farmer, his a courtier and a man of fortune; his mistress at least fond of his company; while mine had allowed me to depart from her for ever. But let me return to my narrative.

From my admiration of Lady Hungerford, as well as the encouragement she gave me, it may be supposed that I again presented myself at her door, and I was again admitted into that temple of elegance—the boudoir where she passed her mornings.

She was gracious as ever, and asked me how I got on in the science of fashion, for science she termed it.

"I believe," said she, " there is no taking a degree in it at Oxford, nor even any professors of it to have recourse to on an emergency ?"

"That I can answer for to my certain knowledge," replied I.

"After all, then," continued she, "I believe what I have heard, that London, as it is the largest, is also the best university. We have indeed many professors of this science here, though with very different qualifications."

"It is this difference," answered I, "in those who profess to have the same knowledge and the same reputation in the science, which puzzles me; and this it is, upon which, under your ladyship's auspices, I so wish to be enlightened. I see a number of human beings divided into different

circles, and by no means shewing the same character or manners; not even of the same rank or condition, fortune or talents; and yet all calling themselves, or claiming to be called, the fashionable world. Are they all entitled to this privilege, or only a few? and if not all, how are we to distinguish the genuine and original from the counterfeit and the copyists?

"You have advanced pretty far," said Lady Hungerford," in having already found out that there is this distinction. It is by no means every one that has that tact."

"It is important, however," said I, "because, having no pretension myself, but seeking a proper model for imitation, I may be misled by false colours, and instead of being well-bred, may turn out to be ridiculous."

"Nothing more true," said Lady Hungerford, "if you were without the tact I have mentioned, and which I believe you to possess the tact to discover the real tournure from the false. For tournure, after all, is perhaps the appropriate word, far more definite in its signification than fashion itself, so generally used, and become so common, that it is now almost confounded with its opposite-vulgarity."

I thanked her for this new light as to terms, and hoped it would lead to farther acquisitions in what she had so properly called the science.

I was thus proceeding with apologies, when she stopt me, as she had once before.

"No apologies, if you please; I have told Lord Castleton that I would take you as a pupil, and I will even produce you when you feel bold enough to wish it. In short, exclusive of Lord Castleton's interest about you, there is something in you that pleases me; and as he has commended you to my instructions, in order to obtain the only thing you say you want, this tournure, this ton de la parfaitement bonne compagnie, I have given you leave to cultivate me, and you shall study my acquaintance, which will, perhaps, enlighten and initiate you into what you, who are a philosopher, will no doubt call the philosophy of fashion, better than all direct lectures or your own speculations."

I thanked her, as became me, and said, with a low bow, that in such a school, and with such a sincere admiration for my preceptress, I was not without hopes that I should succeed.

"Very good," said she, "your bow and your gratitude are particularly graceful, and in a tête à tête, such as this, I will not blame you for a few compliments to my ladyship's abilities; but if your wish be to acquire the real tournure we talk of, and which alone can be denominated real fashion, I must caution you to be as sparing as possible of direct compliments, and particularly the repetition,

or, if possible, the mention of the hackneyed title of ladyship. It would defeat your pretensions in

I thought this odd. "What," said I, " may I not express the approbation, or admiration, or shew the respect I feel, if I am sincere !" " If ever

"Nothing so dangerous,” replied she. you shew the least dependence upon another for any thing which such compliments imply, you are gone. And as for the perpetual recourse to one's title, far from evincing the politeness aimed at, it will rank you with menials. No one will look upon you except as an object of compassion, and yout will be far, very far, from that admission of perfect equality, for which all persons of true fashion give one another credit. You may be guilty indeed of a little flattery now and then, but it must be well wrapt up, and rather by innuendo than staringly obvious."

Here she laughed at her own learned mode of treating the subject; which, however, she said was important enough to justify it; to which I agreed, and promised never to let approbation, or respect, for any body, or any thing, again dishonour my pretensions. But as to ever understanding the arcana of what did or did not constitute fashion, I owned I despaired.

"At Oxford, in your cloister, and among pedants who know nothing of courts, but their