-for one whole fortnight—I am almost sorry that I gave the pledge-for fourteen long days. and nights I must curb my passion, and refrain from following the impulse of my wishes; but at the end of that time Sunderland, great as he is, shall be called to a strict account. I know it is a perilous attempt-I know it may involve me in ruin, but I will find him out,-I will take no denial, he shall give me satisfaction, or I will publicly expose and insult him, to whatever sanctuary he may fly."

While Walter was thus fuming and fretting as he returned to Hounslow, the Countess of Dorchester was preparing for the reception of a more illustrious visitant, though one who was far from being so amenable to her good advice. This was no other than the King, who without any retinue, and in the dusk of the evening, for he had the decency not to obtrude his visits of this nature upon the public eye, presented himself in St. James's Square.

"I am happy to see your Majesty wearing such cheerful looks, and apparently in such good spirits," said the Countess.

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Why yes, Catherine, I have reason, I have reason, the Saints be praised! My Court was better attended than it has ever been before; I have received the most gratifying assurances of attachment from all parties; the addresses presented to me have been numerous, loyal, and obedient beyond all precedent; the great work of conversion prospers well; the Propagandists are active and successful; and the Holy Father has been kind enough to send me from Rome some consecrated napkins for the use of the Prince of Wales, who I have no doubt will now soon recover from his sickness; all which occurrences are of pleasant and cheering import, so far as the public prospects are concerned. And as for my personal recreations, Sir Eliab Harvey, who has imported some wild boars from Germany, has invited me to hunt one of them tomorrow in Waltham Forest, and to dine with him afterwards."

"The last is at least a harmless recreation, and I would much rather see your Majesty pursuing the wild boar than hunting your subjects into the pale of Rome, a perilous sport, which

may have much such a termination as that of Acteon. I can discover little cause of gratulation in the other points that seem to have awakened such complacent feelings. Upon the subject of the Holy Father and the clouts I will not obtrude my opinion, since I fear it might be an unwelcome one! but as you have given my tongue a carte blanche, and even invited me to a perfect freedom of speech, I must remind your Majesty that few courtiers, not even Catholic ones, pour any confession of disloyalty into their prince's ear; and as for these numerous addresses, suspicious from their very fulsomeness and intemperate professions of homage-may I venture to state what they are like ?”

"Whether I grant or withhold my permission, you will venture any thing in these loquacious moods.”

"Well then, did your Majesty, after landing from Helvoetsluys, ever stand upon the shore at Harwich during an ebb tide? If you did, you may have remarked that while the waves seemed to be hurrying towards you, and fawning

around you, and laying themselves at your feet, they were covertly stealing farther and farther from you at every moment, and betaking themselves towards the coast of Holland, to offer the same homage in an opposite direction."

"Madam, you abuse the licence I have given you," said the King, offended at this evident allusion to the growing popularity of the Prince of Orange. "I cannot distrust the sincerity of these addresses. There is one from the Presbytery of Scotland, in which they loyally pray that Providence may give me the the heads of mine enemies, and the hearts of my subjects."

"This is not the slavish fealty it purports to be, but an audacious satire, since, as your Majesty is at peace with all the world, you should be presumed to have no enemies; while to pray that you may possess the hearts of your subjects is to imply that at present you have them hot."

"You pervert the meaning of these pious and submissive men. Even Father Petre, though not well affected towards that church, approves of the address."

"Then all your Majesty's real friends should condemn it."

"I will hear no insinuations against Father Petre, that truly devout man, whose very countenance is an assurance of his sanctity."

"So much the worse; when religion takes up its habitation in a man's face, it is generally a tenant for life, and seldom travels low enough to reach his heart."

"You hate the good Father because he procured your removal from Court."

"I do, and I hate him worse because I think he will end by conferring the same favour upon your Majesty. Oh! let him not, I beseech you, cancel the Restoration; let him not undo the Duke of Albemarle's work; let it not be said hereafter that one Monk crowned Charles the Second, and another uncrowned James the Second. Nay, I will declare my mind in spite of that frown and of your Majesty's threatened anger, because I speak as your friend, as one whose interests are identified with your own, and who has therefore a warrant for her since