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blunders; but instantly checking himself, being admonished by his own kind and gentlemanlike feelings by which last expression I beg leave to say, that I always mean such as are truly suitable to the Christian character-he immediately recovered his gravity, and indeed, seriousness, or rather, I should say, sadness; for sadness is never far from those sort of feelings which lead us to laugh at the follies of those whom we do not love; and there is, perhaps, no creature under the sun so uncongenial to a boy like Henry Milner, as a foolish, trifling, vain old woman.

CHAP. V.

Horses, Dogs, Guns, Fishing-Tackle, Nets, Gins, Traps, Whips, Bits, Bridles, Boots, Spurs, and Jockey Caps.

THE breakfast was finished, the clock had struck ten, and the morning was shining bright, when Mrs. Bonville, standing out upon the lawn in a Spanish hat of grey satin, a parasol in one hand, and a little work-bag in the other, was heard to call--" Master Milner, Master Henry Milner! I am quite ready-we shall be very late."

Henry was in his own garden with Maurice and Thomas, planning an improvement in his bower-that very bower spoken of so frequently in our former volume, when the words, "Where my little beau ?" reached his ears.

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Henry could scarcely restrain his foot from stamping on the ground with passion; as it was,

his colour rose, and he threw down a stick with which he had been measuring the arbour, with an exclamation of impatience; and, before he had recovered his equanimity, he found himself on the lawn by the lady's side. She chided him for his delay, and told him, that when he had engagements with ladies, he must always be punctual as clockwork, if he wished to be thought a fine gentleman and a man of fashion. And then addressing Mr. Dalben, who was sitting in the window of his chamber which was above the study, and wishing him a good morning, saying she was very proud of her little beau, she walked out into the lane, whilst Henry, as he followed her, could almost have wished himself again on the play-ground at Clent Green. "But Thursday will come soon," he thought, " and then I shall find myself really at home."

"And what may the subject of your cogitations be, master Milner ?" said the lady, when she had walked a few yards with him in silence.

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You cannot conceive what pleasure I have in this opportunity of introducing you to the family of my friend, Mrs. Hargrave. I do not know any young men whom I should desire as associates for Edgar more than the young Hargraves; and therefore I consider it quite a fortunate circumstance that I should have been

here just at this time to introduce you to them; for although, my dear Mr. Milner, you have enjoyed every possible advantage, as a child, under the tutorage of my dear uncle, yet his habits are such, so peculiar, and so retired, that he is by no means the sort of person to introduce you into life, and to bring you acquainted with the world. And let me tell you, my young friend, that unless a young man knows the world, he cannot be expected to get on in life, however brilliant his natural or acquired qualifications may be; and this knowledge is not to be obtained in retirement or by reading-it can only be acquired by mixing in society; and this is what I have endeavoured to impress on the mind of my Edgar, and certainly I should say, with very great success, for he appears to me (and Dr. Crotchet assures me that he has the same opinion of him that I have) the very young man for pleasing in society, and getting on in the world."

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Please, ma'am," said Henry Milner, quietly, "will you be so good as to tell me what you mean by getting on in the world ?”

Mrs. Bonville looked earnestly in Henry's face, as if to ascertain whether he were actually a simpleton, or whether he had put the question in pure ignorance and simplicity; and not being able to make out any thing from the ex

pression of his countenance, (for his eyes were bent on the ground,) she answered

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You rather surprise me by your question, master Milner; you cannot be so ignorant as not to know the meaning of the phrase, 'getting on in life, or in the world.' By a man getting on in life, we understand that such a man has made his fortune-has raised his conditionhas obtained a lucrative post; in short, has got some of the good things of this world.”

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In whose gift are these good things, ma'am?" asked Henry.

"In the gift of the great men of the world; in short, of the people in power," she answered, still looking curiously at her young companion. "From what person do the great people receive their power?" asked Henry.

"I understand you now," returned Mrs. Bonville with quickness; "you are just winding about me as my uncle does. I know where you have this ;" and tapping him on the shoulder with her work-bag-" So young, and yet so deep," she added, laughing. "I know where you would have been next, had I answered you that all the great receive their power of influence from the supreme Ruler of all things. Then you would have answered, that those who endeavour to please this supreme Ruler have the

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