to him with all the finest feelings of his nature.  It was, indeed, an intercourse peculiarly beneficial to Cadurcis, whose career had hitherto tended rather to the development of the power, than the refinement of his genius; and to whom an active communion with an equal spirit of a more matured intelligence was an incident rather to be desired than expected.  Herbert and Cadurcis, therefore, spent their mornings together, sometimes in the library, sometimes wandering in the chestnut woods, sometimes sailing in the boat of the brig, for they were both fond of the sea:  in these excursions, George was in general their companion.  He had become a great favourite with Herbert, as with everybody else.  No one managed a boat so well, although Cadurcis prided himself also on his skill in this respect; and George was so frank and unaffected, and so used to his cousin’s habits, that his presence never embarrassed Herbert and Cadurcis, and they read or conversed quite at their ease, as if there were no third person to mar, by his want of sympathy, the full communion of their intellect.  The whole circle met at dinner, and never again parted until at a late hour of night.  This was a most agreeable life; Cadurcis himself, good humoured because he was happy, doubly exerted himself to ingratiate himself with Lady Annabel, and felt every day that he was advancing.  Venetia always smiled upon him, and praised him delightfully for his delightful conduct.

In the evening, Herbert would read to them the manuscript poem of Cadurcis, the fruits of his Attic residence and Grecian meditations.  The poet would sometimes affect a playful bashfulness on this head, perhaps not altogether affected, and amuse Venetia, in a whisper, with his running comments; or exclaim with an arch air, ’I say, Venetia, what would Mrs. Montague and the Blues give for this, eh?  I can fancy Hannah More in decent ecstasies!’

CHAPTER VIII.

‘It is an odd thing, my dear Herbert,’ said Cadurcis to his friend, in one of these voyages, ’that destiny should have given you and me the same tutor.’

‘Masham!’ said Herbert, smiling.  ’I tell you what is much more singular, my dear Cadurcis; it is, that, notwithstanding being our tutor, a mitre should have fallen upon his head.’

‘I am heartily glad,’ said Cadurcis.  ’I like Masham very much; I really have a sincere affection for him.  Do you know, during my infernal affair about those accursed Monteagles, when I went to the House of Lords, and was cut even by my own party; think of that, the polished ruffians!  Masham was the only person who came forward and shook hands with me, and in the most marked manner.  A bishop, too! and the other side! that was good, was it not?  But he would not see his old pupil snubbed; if he had waited ten minutes longer, he might have had a chance of seeing him massacred.  And then they complain of my abusing England, my mother country; a step-dame, I take it.’