because they are, or think they are, tipt the cold shoulder by these same honest squires and baronets, &c. &c. &c. who, excluded from Almack’s, in their own fair turn and rural sphere enact nevertheless, with much success, the part of exclusives—­and so downwards—­down to the very verge of dirty linen.  The obvious facility of practising lucratively on this prevailing folly—­of raising 700_l_., 1000_l_., or 1500_l_. per series, merely by cramming the mouths of the asinine with mock-majestic details of fine life—­this found favour with an indolent no less than sagacious humorist; and the fatal example was set.  Hence the vile and most vulgar pawings of such miserables as Messrs. Vivian Grey and “The Roue”—­creatures who betray in every page, which they stuff full of Marquess and My Lady, that their own manners are as gross as they make it their boast to show their morals.  Hence, some two or three pegs higher, and not more, are such very very fine scoundrels as the Pelhams, &c.; shallow, watery-brained, ill-taught, effeminate dandies—­animals destitute apparently of one touch of real manhood, or of real passion—­cold, systematic, deliberate debauchees, withal—­seducers, God wot! and duellists, and, above all, philosophers!  How could any human being be gulled by such flimsy devices as these?

“These gentry form a sort of cross between the Theodorian breed of novel and the Wardish—­the extravagantly overrated—­the heavy, imbecile, pointless, but still well-written, sensible, and, we may even add, not disagreeable, Tremaine and De Vere.  The second of these books was a mere rifacimento of the first; and, fortunately for what remained of his reputation, Mr. Robert Ward has made no third attempt.  He has much to answer for; e.g. if we were called upon to point out the most disgusting abomination to be found in the whole range of contemporary literature, we have no hesitation in saying we should feel it our duty to lay our finger on the Bolingbroke-Balaam of that last and worst of an insufferable charlatan’s productions.”—­Devereux.

* * * * *

BRUSSELS IN 1829.

For the education of youth of both sexes, Brussels is one of the best stations on the continent, and is a good temporary residence for Englishmen whose means are limited.  The country is plentiful, and consequently every article of living moderate.  It is near England, the government is mild, and there is no restraint in importing English books, though their own press is any thing but free.