from you. However, if I prophesy not falsely, you, Claude, will leave your friend for a day, and dip into the 'lazar-house of impiety,' notwithstanding Sinclair's philippic, and the rural delights he is so enamoured of. Come, Jerningham, fill your carpet-bag, and leave Everard to write pastorals."

I certainly had "a month's mind" to accept Harry Leicester's invitation. I was not so enamoured of the country as not to be able to desert it for a day; and though naturally of a quiet disposition, I was not averse from an occasional freak, -a transitory digression from the monotony of existence, which generally is salutary in its effects. I hesitated before I spoke the word; I pondered upon the propriety of what I was about to do; and determined that at all events the safest course was at once to decline the invitation. But there was no very great harm, to be sure, in paying a visit to the metropolis; if my uncle were at home, undoubtedly he would give me full permission to go; but my uncle was not at home; and should I not commit a breach of confidence by taking advantage of his absence? Such were the thoughts which suggested themselves, and of such was composed the answer which I returned to Harry Leicester's petition.

"I applaud your motives, my good fellow," returned the young scion of nobility; "but these

objections are easily obviated; so that if you have none other, get ready immediately to start." "How so?" I inquired.

"Tell your uncle what you have done directly he returns from the circuit; and that will set your conscience at rest."

My objections, which were not very deeply rooted, vanished before the sophistries of Leicester. I did not seek to inquire into the strength of his casuistical arguments. I was contented to adopt them as they were, and paused not to scrutinize their legitimacy. I was glad enough to banish reflection, for a little thought would have told me, that a determination to confess an error justifies not the commission thereof. But they who want an excuse for doing wrong are not very particular about it, but adopt the first which presents itself without investigating its merits, or stopping to ascertain its cogency. Like the wolf in the fable, who desired a pretext for slaying the innocent lamb, no sophistries are too ridiculous for us, when we are anxious to gloss over our errors. We endeavour to cheat ourselves, and then boast of the purity of our intentions.

I consented to accompany Harry Leicester; and, in a few minutes after I had given my consent, I was whirled along by a fast-trotting horse upon the high road to the metropolis.

I asked my companion, as we went, if his father were aware that I was about to visit him. This had not occurred to me before; but, if Lord Leicester had not sanctioned the invitation of his son, I now felt that I should probably be unwelcome, and, if this were the case, I should feel highly annoyed myself at the idea of intrusion; for no situation is more unpleasant than that of an uninvited guest.

Harry Leicester stared at me as I spoke. When I had done, he laughed vehemently, and appeared to be highly amused.

"What is the matter, Leicester ?-my good fellow, what are you laughing at?"

"To hear you talk about my father! Why, man, he is an hundred miles off.

Did you think we were going to see him? Lord Leicester is in

-shire. I am out of his leading-strings by this time. I am living in London by myself."

"You surely don't mean what you say. Is it possible that Lord Leicester allows you to run wild in the metropolis by yourself? I don't believe that you are much older than I am, and my uncle would not send me adrift, to stem the tide as I best could, without any helmsman to direct me."

"Nor would my father if he knew it. Psha! you don't think that Lord Leicester is up to my pranks? I managed it all capitally, I assure you.

I told him that I had received an invitation from

you."

"From me?"

"Ay! you may start! Believe me, you are particeps criminis! Well, as I was going to say, I told my father that you had written to me with the full permission of your uncle, to invite me to spend a fortnight at Heathfield; and the governor, who knows your uncle by name, never doubting the truth of what I said, wrote me a check upon his bankers, and wished me a pleasant visit. So now you see, I am staying at the Clarendon; for I am very well known there, and they have offered to give me any amount of credit, but I don't think that I shall want it; and I am going to amuse myself for the fortnight; and my father will be none the wiser; and you, my dear Claude, are about to have a lark with me to-night!"

I was astonished at the extreme coolness, the utter unconcern, with which Leicester spoke of his delinquencies. He alluded to his own dishonesty, as if it were a matter of no moment, and as if he thought that to tell a lie and to deceive an indulgent parent were the finest jokes in the world. For my part, I was rather shocked at this exposure of dishonourable conduct, and began sincerely to repent that I had consented to accompany him to London. My countenance assumed a serious

aspect; and I said, in a grave voice, to my companion,―

"Leicester! you may look upon all this as an excellent piece of fun; but, believe me, that I do not. If I had entertained the slightest suspicion that you were not about to take me to your father's, I assure you that I would have remained at Heath

field."

"Tush! tush!" resumed Leicester; "what! are you turned Puritan too? It is as natural for boys to play tricks as for butterflies to wanton in the sun. It is the characteristic of youth to be thoughtless; and I doubt not but that our fathers before us have done just the same as we are doing now. Surely, a little harmless amusement, which inflicts no injury upon any living creature, is salutary rather than beneficial. Psha! what's the use of looking serious? One would think that I were persuading you to commit murder,-to burn down the Parliament-house, or to perpetrate sacrilege at St. Paul's! But I will not carry you on against your will; so speak the word, and I will turn back; or, here is a coach meeting us, which goes within half a mile of your house; so you have only to say, 'stop!' and, presto! you shall be on your way home.'

But I was not very well pleased to turn back. I had anticipated considerable amusement from my intended visit to the metropolis, and I was