Melfort, seemed not less pleased with the co sation than with the manners of that lady, w indeed perfectly well-bred and accomplished the stranger, whose name was Melville, app equally to relish the spirit which distinguished discourse of Mr. Umphraville. I had early obs him to mark my old friend, as a member of the pany not the least worthy of his attention. The dinner was succeeded by a round of to during which the ladies received scarce any d mark of attention from the company, Mr. Ump ville, Mr. Melville, and myself, excepted, than of Mr. Melfort's calling for their toasts, which always distinguished, by desiring us to fill a bum Immediately after this ceremony was ended, withdrew; a circumstance which seemed nowise agreeable to the company they left, the grea part of whom had hitherto sat mute, and pla felt the presence of the ladies a restraint on the f dom and jollity of conversation. They had no sooner retired, than Mr. Melf raising himself in his chair, announced a bumper the ladies who had left us; an order which readily complied with, and seemed to spread an of satisfaction around the table. The sea-capt said, he was glad the frigates had sheered off; a now,' added he, if you please, Mr. Melfort, the signal is given, we may clear the decks a form the line of battle.' The Captain's joke was applauded with a lo laugh; during which honest Umphraville, who face is no hypocrite, cast to my side of the table look of displeasure and contempt, which I was at loss to interpret. Meantime the servants remov one half of the table, that we might sit sociably, Mr. Melfort termed it, round the other, which w immediately furnished with a set of fresh glasse and cleared of every incumbrance that might retard the circulation of the bottle. Our friends, who had been so silent during the presence of the ladies, now began to take their revenge, and enlarge their share of the conversation in proportion to the number of bumpers they swallowed: they vied with each other in the number of their stories and their jokes; all of which seemed to be equally relished; and not the less so, that they now became somewhat loose and licentious. Mr. Melville had at first endeavoured, though in a very easy and polite manner, to give somewhat of a more refined turn to the conversation; but his en deavours, though supported by a good deal of wit and vivacity, could not long withstand the general disposition of the company. He now found himself as little able to relish their merriment as Mr. Umphra ville, next whom he was seated; and they had begun to enter into conversation of a very different kind, when Umphraville received a slap on the shoulder from one of the company, who at the same reminded him that he was hunted. My friend was at first startled with a familiarity to which he was little accustomed; having recovered his composure, however, he thanked the gentleman, though with an air rather formal and reserved, for his attention, and drank off his bumper. But having, it seems, left a little more than was proper in the bottom of his glass, he was saluted with a call of No heeltops from another corner of the table. This enigmatical advice being explained to him, he complied with it also, saying, however, with his natural firmness of tone and manner, That it was his rule ⚫ to fill and drink his glass when and how he pleased; and that, as he had already gone greater lengths ⚫ than usual, Mr. Melfort must excuse him if he did not now depart from it.' I saw that Mr. Umphraville was now heartily of the company, and was not sorry when, a after this incident, both he and Mr. Melville drew. Having remained long enough to wi some jocular remarks to which this gave occasi followed them to the drawing-room, where I f they were much more agreeably employed in drin coffee with Mrs. Melfort, while one of her daugh obliged my old friend by playing some Scots upon the harpsichord, which the other accompa with a voice equally sweet and expressive. The conversation which succeeded was suppo in an easy agreeable manner, by Mr. Melville the ladies, with that mixture of serious remark wh made it not unpleasing to Mr. Umphraville; did he suffer in their opinion by the part he occ onally took in it. The silent approbation of countenance, during the performance of the you ladies, and the observations which it gave him opportunity of making on the character of our tive music, had already made the old gentlema favourite; nor were the rest of the company d pleased with the turn of his sentiments, when complained, that the drawing-rooms, where, in 1 younger days, the ladies and gentlemen were accu tomed to the company of each other, were now most totally deserted; and that, as far as he cou observe, amidst the boasted, refinement of mode manners, the gentlemen paid less attention to th ladies, both in public places and in private society than they had done fifty years ago. After some time passed in this manner, the nois of laughter and of vociferation on the stairs announ ced the approach of Mr. Melfort and his company The physician, and one of the lawyers, were indeed the only members of it who had chosen to attend him to the drawing-room; both of whom were pro digiously flustered; and yet, to my astonishment, they contrived to put a decent face upon it, and fell into fewer improprieties than could have been expected. A drawing-room however, was not their element; and, after swallowing a little coffee, they withdrew, leaving honest Melfort fast asleep in a corner of the settee. Mr. Umphraville and I took our leave. We were scarce out of the house when he exclaimed, 6 • O rus! quando ego te aspiciam?” And, after a little pause, 'Good God!' said he • Charles, can such scenes be common at poor Melfort's? To what a degree must he have lost all respect for himself and all taste for true happiness, who, for such society as we have this day witnessed, can forego the agreeable conversation of his own family, or who can allow the elegance of their amusements to be disturbed by the ⚫ intrusion of his loose and riotous companions? I represented to my friend that he saw the matter in too strong a light. I observed that the excess on this occasion had probably been greater than usual; Mr. Melfort was nowise singular in the manner of entertaining his friends; that, in this country, the general opinion justified the observation of the poet, Fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum ;' that wine was supposed necessary to remove the natural reserve of our manner, and give a proper degree of ease and spirit to our conversation. As to the appearance of Melfort and his friends in the drawing room, I observed, that a little habit made the occasional intrusion of a drunken company be considered as a sort of interlude, which ladies could bear without uneasiness; and, at any rate, as it was an equal chance that their future husbands would give such dinners, and receive such guests, as their father it might not be improper to accustom them, in earlier days, to a species of conversation and viour which they must afterwards be oblige endure. Ay,' says he, Charles, this is your way. follies of mankind are familiar to you, and yo always ready to find an apology for them; b who, for many years, have only heard of them, ca be supposed to bear their defects with as much tience. I am sick of this town of yours; though I could have as much pleasure as any in witnessing such elegant manners, and parta in such agreeable conversation, as we saw and joyed during a part of this evening; if I must chase it by sharing in the intemperance, the no and the folly which succeeded it, should you w der if I long to return to my books and my s tude?' N° 77. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 178 SHAKSPEAR AMIDST the variety of objects around us, philos phers have frequently been employed in pointing ou and distinguishing those which are the sources o pleasure, and those which are productive of pain they have endeavoured also to investigate the cause |