upon him for the last time. I now possessed the power I had so long
desired, and in less than an hour had lost a valued friend and a
faithful servant. Nevertheless, Barton _had_ told me a falsehood, and
Sheringham _was_ gazetted on the Tuesday night.

* * * * *

I went into the Water-colour Exhibition at Charing-cross; there I
heard two artists complimenting each other, while their hearts were
bursting with mutual envy. There, too, I found a mild, modest-looking
lady, listening to the bewitching nothings of her husband's particular
friend; and I knew, as I saw her frown and abruptly turn away from him
with every appearance of real indignation, that she had at that very
moment mentally resolved to elope with him the following night. In
Harding's shop I found authors congregated "to laugh the sultry hours
away," each watching to catch his neighbour's weak point, and make
it subject matter of mirth in his evening's conversation. I saw a
viscount help his father out of his carriage with every mark of duty
and veneration, and knew that he was actually languishing for the
earldom and estates of the venerable parent of whose health he was
apparently taking so much care. At Howell and James's I saw more than
I could tell, if I had ten times the space afforded me that I have;
and I concluded my tour by dropping in at the National Gallery,
where the ladies and gentlemen seemed to prefer nature to art, and
were actively employed in looking at the pictures, and thinking of
themselves. Oh! it was a strange time then, when every man's heart was
open to me, and I could sit, and see, and hear, all that was going
on, and know the workings of the inmost feelings of my associates;
however, I must not detain the reader with reflections.