Next to abfolute privacy, nothing is fo favourable to a determined tête-a-tête as a large company; Fanny feemed aware of this, for the devoted her regards entirely to her next neighbour. She poffeffed in a very eminent degree thofe graces and qualifications, which are more properly styled allurements than beauties, and attract more lovers than they fix; he had befides the art of arranging her forces in the best way poffible for her own purposes, and fuffering none to be idle in her fervice, made up by discipline what fhe wanted in numbers; fhe might, however, be fairly called a very pretty woman, dreffed with à becoming negligence, and talked with a familiar eafe; with a ready flow of words ever at command, she had a vivacity that might pass for wit, and a raillery that resembled humour; she was quick to apprehend all meanings that a word could carry, and not afraid to fhew, that she both apprehended and applied them; fhe was, in fhort, an admirable actress, and never more so than when the affected to look modeft and de

mure.

It was not the habit of Sir Roger's house for the ladies to fit long after dinner, and as Isabella naturally concluded that the gentle

men

men now present had come upon county bufinefs, fhe was the quicker in her motions, and, to the fenfible regret of Fanny Claypole, broke up the female part of the affembly, and left the ftage entire to the lords of the creation.

CHAPTER IV.

County Politics debated over a Bottle.

WHAT Ifabella had furmifed was true:

one of the county members lay at the point of death, and Sir Roger's visitors, who were the leading men of the oppofite parties, had united in referring themselves to the worthy Baronet as a middle man, and acceptable to both, for the fake of preserving peace in the county, and preventing a conteft, which, from the state and temper of parties, feemed to be inevitable, unless he could be prevailed upon to step in upon the vacancy. This had been fo often tried before, and his averfion from the undertaking was fo well known, that though they came upon him in great strength, and as it were by furprife, yet they rather

laid their account for a hard-fought battle than an easy victory.

One of their junto, an elderly gentleman, and much refpected, was Sir Roger's particular friend; he was accordingly put forward as their spokesman in the opening of this bufinefs; he acquitted himself of the task in a manner that did credit to their choice; he appealed to those paffions, in which he knew his friend was most affailable,, the spirit of patriotifm, and the pride of being marked as the preferver of the public peace. Sir Roger, in plain words and few, made his hearty acknowledgments for the great honour conferred upon him, candidly stated his unfitnefs for the office to which they invited him, and humbly folicited to be excufed from undertaking it "My age," faid the good man, "my habits of life, my attachment to the quiet character of a country gentleman, difqualify me for the active duties you would lay upon me. I love my country, it is true, and, in my small sphere, do all the good I can amongst my neighbours, but in the politics of the state I am as ignorant as a child."-" For that reason we appeal to you," faid one of the gentlemen, who was of an oppofite intereft to the laft fpeaker; " to your honour and impar

tial

tial judgment, unconnected with party, and unbiafs'd by politics, we would fain delegate this important truft, and in your nomination only all voices will unite; you alone can keep us all in harmony and good fellowship, and, I flatter myself that Sir Roger Manstock, as a lover of peace, will not refuse to his friends and neighbours their conciliating petition, tho' it may be at the expence of fome fmall share of his repofe."

Sir Roger faid truly he was no adept in politics, neither was he versed in shifts' and evafions, which we take to be an inferior branch of the fame fcience; where his confcience, as in the present cafe, could not ftand by him, wit never came to his affiftance; in fhort, he was a good man and a bad orator; thefe arguments, therefore, which pushed right forwards at his heart he could not parry, and whilft he was thus balancing the pro and the con in filence, Cary, who faw the conflict, and which fide his honour ought to take, filled his glass, and cried aloud-" Come, uncle, let us drink, 'Peace at home and victory abroad;' if you'll preferve the one, we'll ftruggle to obtain the other." This lucky start of gaiety was pledged by all present, and Sir Roger seemed to be carrying

5

carrying his election very fast against his will; one hope only remained, and that was centered in his friend Mr. Claypole, who hitherto had fate, with a neutrality of countenance, in perfect filence. He was a cool, deep-thinking man, and one on whose opinions Sir Roger repofed a very catholic faith; when he found himself invited to speak by a certain look, which his friend in doubt directed to him, and faw all other eyes upon him at the same time, and evidently with the fame expectations, he delivered himself with much gravity, as follows:

"I am fo inconfiderable a person in this company, and have fo little right to speak upon the point in question, that I should naturally have been filent, had not my refpected friend fignified to me by his looks that my poor opinion would not be unwelcome or impertinent; I fay, gentlemen, I should be without excufe for uttering a word on this fubject, but for Sir Roger's wish that I should do so, and your encouragement in giving ear to me; I shall not, however, abuse your indulgence by going out of my line, which certainly has nothing to do with parliamentary matters, but fhall fimply fubmit to my friend's confideration what my conscience obliges me to recommend

as