No 37. spirits communicate to each other in the habits and manners of a public school. He bitterly inveighed against his neighbour the lawyer for persuading him to such a fatal system of education, and whenever they met in company their conversation was engrossed with continual arguings and reproachings; for neither party receded from his point, and Gemellus's advocate was as little disposed to give him up, as his father was to excuse him. At last they came to a compromise, by which Euphorion agreed to charge his estate with an annuity for the education and support of Gemellus, which annuity, during his nonage, was to be received and administered by the said lawyer, and Geminus left heir of the whole fortune, this moderate encumbrance excepted.

The disinterested and proscribed offender was now turned over to the care of the lawyer, who regularly defrayed his school expences, and never failed to visit him at those periods, when country practitioners usually resort to town. The boy, apprized of his situation, took no further pains to assuage his father's resentment, but full of resources within himself, and possessed of an active and aspiring genius, pressed forward in his business, and soon found himself at the head of the school, with the reputation of being the best scholar in it.

He had formed a close friendship, according to the custom of great schools, with a boy of his own age, the son of a nobleman of high distinction, in whose family Gemellus was a great favourite, and where he never failed to pass his holidays, when the school adjourned. His good friend and guardian the lawyer saw the advantages of this early connection in their proper light, and readily consented to admit his ward of the same college in the univer. sity, when Gemellus and his friend had compleated

their school education. Here the attachment of these young men became more and more solid, as they advanced nearer to manhood, and after a course of academical studies, in which Gemellus still improved the reputation he brought from Westminster, it was proposed that he should accompany his friend upon his travels, and a proper governor was engaged for that service. This proposal rather staggered Gemellus's guardian on the score of expence, and he now found it necessary for the first time to open himself to Euphorion. With this intent he called upon him one morning, and taking him aside, told him, he was come to confer with him on the subject of Gemellus-I am sorry for it,' interposed Euphorion. 'Hold, Sir,' answered the lawyer, 'interrupt me not if you please; though Gemellus is my ward, he is your son; and if you have the natural feelings of a father, you will be proud to acknowledge your right in him as such.'-As he was speaking these words, an awkward servant burst into the room, and staring with fright and confusion, told his master there was a great lord in a fine equipage had actually driven up to the hall door, and was asking to speak with him. Euphorion's surprise was now little less than his servant's, and not being in the habit of receiving visits from people of distinction, he eagerly demanded of the lawyer who this visitor could possibly be, and casting an eye of embarrassment upon his gouty foot I am not fit to be seen,' said he, and cannot tell how to escape; for heaven's sake! go and see who this visitor is, and keep him from the sight of me, if it be possible.'

6

Euphorion had scarce done speaking, when the door was thrown open, and the noble stranger, who was no less a person than the father of Gemellus's friend, made his approach, and having introduced

himself to Euphorion,and apologized for the abruptness of his visit, proceeded to explain the occasion of it in the following words :- I wait upon you, Sir, with a request, in which I flatter myself Í shall be seconded by this worthy gentleman here present you have the honour to be father to one of the most amiable and accomplished young men I ever knew; it may not become me to speak so warmly of my own son as perhaps I might with truth, but I flatter myself it will be some recommendation of him to your good opinion, when I tell you that he is the friend and intimate of your Gemellus they have now gone through school and college together, and according to my notions of the world such early connections, when they are well chosen, are amongst the chief advantages of a public education; but as I now purpose to send my son upon his travels, and in such a manner as I flatter myself will be for his benefit and improvement, I hope you will pardon this intrusion, when I inform you that the object of it is to solicit your consent that Gemellus may accompany him.'

Euphorion's countenance, whilst this speech was addressed to him, underwent a variety of changes; surprise at hearing such an unexpected character of his son was strongly exprest; a gleam of joy seemed to break out, but was soon dispelled by shame and vexation at the reflection of having abandoned him ; he attempted to speak, but confusion choaked him; he cast a look of embarrassment upon the lawyer, but the joy and triumph, which his features exhibited, appeared to him like insult, and he turned his eyes on the ground in silence and despair. No one emotion had escaped the observation of Gemellus's patron, who, turning to the lawyer, said he believed he need not affect to be ignorant of Gemellus's situation, and then addressing himself again

to Euphorion-'I can readily understand,' said he, 'that such a proposal as I have now opened to you, however advantageous it might promise to be to your son, would not correspond with your ideas in point of expence, nor come within the compass of that limited provision, which you have thought fit to appoint for him: this is a matter, of which I have no pretensions to speak; you have disposed of your fortune between your sons in the proportions you thought fit, and it must be owned a youth who has had a domestic education, stands the most in need of a father's help, from the little chance there is of his being able to take care of himself: Gemellus has talents that must secure his fortune, and if my services can assist him, they shall never be wanting ; in the mean time it is very little for me to say that my purse will furnish their joint occasions, whilst they are on their travels, and Gemellus's little fund, which is in honest and friendly hands, will accumulate in the interim.'

The length of this speech would have given Euphorion time to recollect himself, if the matter of it had not presented some unpleasant truths to his reflection, which incapacitated him from making a deliberate reply; he made a shift however to hammer out some broken sentences, and with as good a grace as he could, attempted to palliate his neglect of Gemellus by pleading his infirm state of health and retirement from the world-he had put him into the hands of his friend, who was present, and as he best knew what answer to give to the proposal in question, he referred his lordship to him and would abide by his decision-he was glad to hear so favourable an account of him-it was far beyond his expectations; he hoped his lordship's partiality would not be deceived in him, and he was thankful for the kind expressions he had thrown out of his future good

offices and protection. The noble visitor now desired leave to introduce his son, who was waiting in the coach, and hoped Gemellus might be allowed to pay his duty at the same time. This was a surprise upon Euphorion, which he could not parry, and the young friends were immediately ushered in by the exulting lawyer. Gemellus commanded himself with great address; but the father's look, when he first discovered an elegant and manly youth in the bloom of health and comeliness, with an open countenance, where genius, courage, and philanthropy were characterised, is not to be described: it was a mixt expression of shame, conviction, and repentance; nature had her share in it; parental love seemed to catch a glance as it were by stealth; he was silent, and his lips quivered with the supprest emotions of his heart. Gemellus approached and made an humble obeisance; Euphorion stretched forth his hand; he seized it between his, and reveverently pressed it to his lips. Their meeting was not interrupted by a word, and the silence was only broken by my lord, who told Gemellus, in a low voice, that his father had consented to his request, and he had no longer cause to apprehend a separation from his friend: the honest lawyer now could no longer repress his ecstasy, but running to Gemellus, who met his embrace with open arms, showtered a flood of tears upon his neck, and received the tribute of gratitude and affection in return upon his own.

When their spirits were a little composed, Gemellus requested to see his brother; a summons was accordingly issued, and Geminus made his entrance. The contrast which this meeting exhibited, spoke in stronger terms than language can supply, the decided preference of a public and liberal system of education, to the narrow maxims of private and