among the Mexicans. What do I say? They are like Homer's demigods among
the warring mortals. Men, like Clive and Caillaud, influenced great
events, like Jove himself. Inferior officers are like Mars or Neptune;
and the sergeants and corporals might well pass for demigods. Then the
various religious costumes, habits, and manners of the people of
Hindustan,--the patient Hindhu, the warlike Rajahpoot, the haughty
Moslemah, the savage and vindictive Malay--Glorious and unbounded
subjects! The only objection is, that I have never been there, and know
nothing at all about them."

"Nonsense, my good friend. You will tell us about them all the better
that you know nothing of what you are saying; and come, we'll finish the
bottle, and when Katie (her sisters go to the assembly) has given us
tea, she will tell you the outline of the story of poor Menie Gray,
whose picture you will see in the drawing-room, a distant relation of my
father's, who had, however, a handsome part of cousin Menie's
succession. There are none living that can be hurt by the story now,
though it was thought best to smother it up at the time, as indeed even
the whispers about it led poor cousin Menie to live very retired. I mind
her well when a child. There was something very gentle, but rather
tiresome, about poor cousin Menie."

When we came into the drawing-room, my friend pointed to a picture which
I had before noticed, without, however, its having attracted more than a
passing look; now I regarded it with more attention. It was one of those
portraits of the middle of the eighteenth century, in which artists
endeavoured to conquer the stiffness of hoops and brocades; by throwing
a fancy drapery around the figure, with loose folds like a mantle or
dressing gown, the stays, however, being retained, and the bosom
displayed in a manner which shows that our mothers, like their