of making herself agreeable, if she chose, to any class of society, and the tact readily to seem at ease with characters the most incongruous to her own. Advancing towards Miss Quirk, with rather an air of condescension, she requested to introduce her niece, Miss Cameron.

Miss Quirk begged the ladies would be seated, and a heightened colour and fidgetty movements, showed she was rather embarrassed by such visitors, though her blueism led her always to assert, that a cultivated mind like hers, put her on an equality, and often on a pre-eminence with the noblest born in the land.

" I hope you and your sister have been

quite well since I left the country," said Lady St. Clair. "Ah! here she comes with blooming looks, to answer the question herself. I assure you, Miss Arabella Quirk, our faded London cheeks would be glad to borrow some of your roses."

"Oh, your ladyship is very flattering to

say so," simpered Miss Arabella; "but, for my part, I think there is something very in. teresting in a pale style of beauty."

Lady St. Clair duly made the agreeable, by remarking upon Miss Quirk's love of German literature, and offering to lend her a new novel in that language, and admiring her picture with all due admiration.

Miss Arabella, fearing her talents were rather hid in the shade, drew from a capacious basket on the table a dress which she was embroidering in blue worsted; the pattern was atrocious, and the shade of colour glaring. But the Countess could control her countenance better than Clara, with whom a laugh was impending, and politely admired the good taste with which it was designed, adroitly edging in, " And how very fortunate! the colour will just suit the election which, I fear, is hanging over our heads. The colour of blue will suit you admirably, I think."

Miss Quirk thought that now was a time to

display her learning and skill in argument. "Indeed, Lady St. Clair, I do not know that we shall take the side of the liberal candidate; these are awful times in which we live. I fear a second French revolution is advancing with rapid strides in our own ill-fated country, and it is the duty of Englishmen to support the Church and established institutions of the land."

"I fully agree with you," said Lady St. Clair, "in the latter opinion, but I cannot see any fear of revolution, and the surest way to prevent the danger, should it exist, is to elevate the morals of the people by education. I am convinced Miss Quirk must advocate the principles which would diffuse general education and a taste for literature. A mind so enlarged would not keep the stores of knowledge all to herself."

"Indeed, Lady St. Clair, your observations are very correct; but, when the Duchess of Kingsland and Lady Thorndale were here yesterday, they quite frightened me by the

threatened terrors of civil war, and the influence which Popery was gaining under the present administration."

"Oh ho!" thought the Countess, so the ground has been tried before me."

"I am sure, Miss Quirk, your masculine mind would fully answer these frivolous charges, and I should like to have seen how well you have silenced the Duchess. I have no doubt you urged, though in much more powerful language than I can use, that this cry is only got up by a party, and for party purposes; that the only persons likely to attempt a civil war are ranged under the banners of those who pretend to fear one, and use a violence of language and a disloyalty of tone calculated to awaken any latent sparks of commotion and revolt, and that, so far from Popery increasing, the Pope was never less powerful than at the present day."

"Yes," said the gratified Miss Quirk, pleased to be thought capable of silencing a

duchess; "yes, I did use some such arguments, and they must be convincing to every candid and enlightened mind."

"With these opinions," said the Countess, "I am sure you will use your potent influence in the good cause of manly independence, and that a particular friend of mine, who will come forward on the liberal side, will obtain your vote and interest. I say vote, for I am sure your father cannot resist your arguments, and your sister's smiles, too, will join this side. But here he comes, to answer for himself. Welcome, Mr. Quirk, to join our political debate, though debate I should not say, as we are all of the same opinion. Your daughter has been delighting me with an account of the masterly manner in which she yesterday refuted the futile fears of the Duchess of Kingsland on the no Popery question. I must bring my friend before the election commences, to learn from her how to answer his opponents on the hustings."

"Yes, yes," chuckled the father, who was