In a splendid drawing-room, in one of the finest houses in London, where unbounded wealth had accumulated every luxury to satisfy even her fastidious taste, Lady Clairville reclined on her velvet fauteuil, listless and unhappy. The surrounding elegance of the apartment, with its costly decorations, was all unheeded by her; and a little writing-table she had pushed from before her, and on which lay a half-written note, showed she had found even the task of tracing a few lines on the highly-scented paper, wearisome. She was now absorbed in deep meditation; and the knit brow and compressed lips told that her thoughts were far from satisfactory.

Lady Clairville was a beautiful woman; the forty summers which she had numbered had taken nothing from the brilliancy of her eye, or the majesty of her form. Pride and worldly-mindedness had done more to deteriorate the loveliness she once possessed; and the gazer now turned dissatisfied from the haughty and unsubdued expression of her countenance. In a distant corner of the extensive saloon, a young and interesting girl was seated at a table covered with drawing materials. She held the pencil in her hand; but at that moment her attention was riveted by the conversa

tion of a young man who stooped beside her, and was earnestly speaking in a low tone of voice.

"Julian!" at length exclaimed Lady Clairville peevishly, whose notice had been attracted by a name uttered more perceptibly, with the increased vehemence which now marked the conversation of her son; "I wish you would come and talk to me. What are you whispering to Blanche all this time? something of importance to say to you."

I recollect I have

Julian approached his mother with a slow and lingering step, which certainly did not evince the alacrity of affection; and as he threw himself on a sofa near her, said carelessly, and as if he dreaded the tediousness of the conversation,

"Well, I am ready to hear all your ladyship has to

say.'

Julian, how much I dislike that poco curante air you have lately assumed whenever I address you,” angrily commenced Lady Clairville; then adding, "however, I feel too much annoyed by something that has happened, to discuss your odious Oxford manners at present." She continued anxiously; "you are acquainted with the Duke of Strathhaven; can you give me any clue to guess what induced him to torment me last night, at the Opera, with so many questions relative to my brother? He actually embarrassed me; and I feared at the moment that misusing the condescension which induces him often to converse with you, you had spoken to him of these unlucky Cecils. You know that it is a very awkward and disagreeable subject; for your uncle has disgraced himself completely by his folly, to call his extravagance by no harsher name, or the thoughtlessness which has occasioned all this humiliation, and which now obliges him to fly his country. How people can exceed their income, Í never could conceive; however limited my means might have been, I should certainly have curtailed my expenses accordingly."

Thus spoke the pampered child of prosperity, who, in the hardness of heart and apathy of feeling engendered by luxury, forgot to sympathise with those who had to struggle with the contending influences of pride and poverty, even though one of their many victims was her brother. She knew not, surrounded as she was by affluence and spendor, of the sickening desire to "keep up appearances," as it is termed,-condemned, even while persisted in,-by those whose fortune is inadequate to their position in society. She could not make allowances for those over whom the arbitrary dominion of the world of fashion was by circumstances established, and whose shrinking pride feels that they are only estimated according to their power of following its decrees; and, dreading for themselves and those dear to them, the inferior grade to which any failure in the exactions of society would banish them, madly persevere in a career which every serious reflection must tell them will end in ruin. It is comparatively easy to retreat from the world in our own person; but how repugnant to our feelings to withdraw beloved children from the station to which their innate refinement of mind and manners seems to give them a powerful claim; and for whom an intermixture with an inferior class is an evil more to be deplored, even, than the fearful anxieties of exceeded means!

Far be it from me, however, to advocate the cause of extravagance-the misery which I seek to depicture in the subsequent history, is one feeble example of its many baleful consequences; but at the same time that we are fully aware of the cri ninal nature of profuse expenditure, and could quote many a word of wisdom to show the path by which it may be avoided, still we may pity those gentle hearts who, wanting the firmness to extricate themselves from the toils and fancied claims of society, are crushed by the blighting hand of self-inflicted poverty. Lady Clairville deplored nothing of this she resented the disgrace to herself in the involve

ments of her brother; but immersed in sensual gratification and selfish indulgence, her heart was alike dead to the claims of kindred, or the knowledge of human misery. She had yet to learn of a "judgment to come," and that the requisitions of the Almighty are regulated by his gifts, in the strictest and most awful proportion. As the subject of the conversation Lady Clairville commenced with her son, caught his attention, he seemed roused from the apathy with which he first approached her. His color rose violently; and at every word of reproach directed towards his uncle, his eye flashed with the fire of anger; but he was silent. After a short pause for his reply, Lady Clairville again spoke.

Julian, you do not appear to have heard what I said: why do you not answer? In general, you are tolerably attentive upon that subject.'

"Mother," exclaimed the young man starting from his seat impatiently, "what would you have me say? Why tempt me to express opinions which you deem disrespectful and improper? You are always angry when I mention my sentiments towards my uncle and every member of his family; therefore, why urge me to repeat what is offensive to you? You are well aware," he continued with a vehemence of manner which increased with every word he uttered, "that if my opinion had been taken, you need not have blushed when the Duke of Strathhaven inquired after your brother. Had you come forward, as you ought to have done, to their assistance-had you offered his wife and children an asylum in any one of your houses, during my uncle's temporary absence-there would then have been no shame in the business, on your side at least. As it is, you have unnaturally refused them the support of your countenance and influence in society; and by cruelly deserting and taunting them in their distress, have offered an example the heartless world is but too glad to follow while you have, as it were, forced them to the obscurity and concealment which they too deli

cately, and so singularly observe. The very idea of the discomfort to which my poor aunt may be exposed actually distracts me," Julian continued, again quitting the seat he had for a moment taken, and pacing rapidly the apartment in uncontrollable agitation; " and for that sweet Evelyn to have to undergo, with her refinement and innocence, the horrors of poverty! Thank Heaven! I have every reason to believe that Herbert is with them he will protect her from the approach of impertinence or vulgarity."

He was proceeding in this sort of audible soliloquy, when Lady Clairville interrupted him, and with angry bitterness exclaimed,

"Really, Julian, this is too absurd, too childish; and convinces me more firmly, that I had good reason not to give my support to these pauper relations. Do you think that I can tolerate even the idea of my son allying himself to a girl whose only claim to the distinguished title he will one day give his wife, is her flimsy beauty? particularly when I have views for him so every way splended, and which it only rests with himself to realize."

Lady Clairville uttered these last words in an under tone; but the precaution was unnecessary, as the gentle girl Julian had left at the drawing-table had withdrawn from the apartment at the first commencement of the angry discussion. On perceiving this, Lady Clairville continued aloud,

"My brother, with all his ridiculous, high-flown notions for his children, no doubt has settled the connection in his own mind; but I shall take care to frustrate the scheme to the best of my power. You know my wishes, ungrateful boy! and I insist upon your obeying them. Recollect, that I stand in the place of both parents towards you, as your father's feeble health and spirits prevent his interference; recollect, also, that although you may ultimately claim a title, the fortune which may accompany it depends quite on my will.