Part 2 (1/2)

'And the mistresses of all his fellow citizens destroyed of course;'--said a gentleman coolly, on the opposite side of the table

Oh! that was not a consideration, every thing s 'What, young lady,' (suddenly turning to me) 'do you think a lover would not risque, as in fear of losing you?'

Good God! what a question to an adrecian heroes! I started, and absolutely shuddered I would have replied, but my words died away upon my lips in inarticulate murmurs My father observed and enjoyed , Emma, lived in ancient tiure a our modern men of fashi+on!'

'This lady reads, then,'--said our accomplished coxcoraces; knowledge and learning, are unsufferably masculine in a wo lady should be clear and unsullied, like a sheet of white paper, or her own fairer face: lines of thinking destroy the di the reason of _ charest, when most weak--

”Loveliest in their fears-- And by this silent adulation, soft, To their protectionman”

'Pshaw!' replied Mr Courtney, a little peevishly--'you will persuade Eiants and ravishers are as co woman of sense and spirit needs no other protection; do not flatter the girl into affectation and imbecility If blank paper be your passion, you can be at no loss; the toill supply quires and reaentleman on the opposite side of the table; 'to preserve the mind a blank, we must be both deaf and blind, for, while any inlet to perception remains, your paper will infallibly contract characters of some kind, or be blotted and scrawled!'

'For God's sake! do not let us begin to philosophise,' retorted his antagonist, as not to be easily silenced

'I agree with you,'--rejoined the other--'_thinking_ is undoubtedly very laborious, and _principle_ equally troublesome and i, and caught his eye for a ht was doubtful The man of fashi+on continued to expatiate in rhetorical periods--He infors, but they never extended beyond selfish gratification

For his part, he had as much humanity as any man, for which reason he carefully avoided the scene or the tale of distress He, likewise, had his opinions, but their pliability rendered the to his friends He had courage to sustain fatigue and hardshi+p, when, not his country, but vanity de travelled two hundred hts, to be present, on two succeeding evenings, at a ball in distant counties

'This arded hireat deal of pains to render himself ridiculous, he surely must have a vile heart, or a contemptible opinion of mankind: if he be really the character he describes, he is a compound of atrocity and folly, and a pest to the world; if he slanders himself, what must be that state of society, the applause of which he persuades hihed deeply;--in either case the reflection was melancholy;--my eyes enquired--'Am I to hate or to despise you?' I know not whether he understood their language, but he troubled me no more with his attentions

I reflected a little too seriously:--I have since seen , superficial coxcomb, who talks to display his oratory--_mere words_ --repeated by rote, to which few ideas are affixed, and which are uttered and received with equal apathy

CHAPTER VIII

During three years, I continued my weekly visits to Berkley square; I was not always allowed to join the parties who assembled there, neither indeed would it have been proper, for they were a roupe; when permitted so to do, I collected materials for reflection I had been educated by ion; many of Mr Courtney's friends were men of wit and talents, who, occasionally, discussed important subjects with freedole in the conversations, but I overcame my timidity sufficiently to behave with propriety and composure; I listened attentively to all that was said, and my curiosity akened to philosophic enquiries

Mr Courtney now entrusted ed with ever new delight I went through, by , but I could never acquire a taste for this species of composition Accounts of the early periods of states and empires, of the Grecian and Roman republics, I pursued with pleasure and enthusiasrew corrupt, luxurious, licentious, perfidious, usted, and sought to recreate ions of poetry and fiction

My early associations rendered theology an interesting subject to me; I read ecclesiastical history, a detail of errors and crian to be eested to it, I reasoned freely, endeavoured to arrange and h all their consequences: while frohts with freedonity of character I s of Descartes, and was seized with a passion for an to think about the nature of the soul--whether it was a coanized matter, or a subtle and etherial fire

In the course of my researches, the Heloise of Rousseau fell into my hands--Ah! hat transport, hat enthusias, work!--How shall I paint the sensations that were excited in my mind!--the pleasure I experienced approaches the limits of pain--it was tumult--all the ardour of my character was excited--Mr Courtney, one day, surprisedover the sorrows of the tender St Preux He hastily snatched the book fro volumes, carried them in silence to his chamber: but the impression made on mychain of consequences, that will continue to operate till the day of my death

My time at this period passed rapidly and pleasantly My father never treated radually subsided He gave me, occasionally, useful hints and instructions

Without feeling for hiree of respect The library was a source of lively and inexhaustible pleasure to my mind; and, when admitted to the table of Mr Courtney, some new character or sentiment frequently sharpened my attention, and afforded hted to expatiate, when returning to the kind and hospitable mansion of my beloved aunt, (which I still considered as my home) on the various topics which I had collected in rations I was listened to by my cousins with a pleasure that flattered ;--a ho mind