Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-11-22

little bowl Of lockwood, filed with saw
dust, to serve for powder, the brok en-
writing desk, the dressing gown Of the
banker, and all these recollections rush
ing at once upon his mind, produced the
reflections, "l have done foolish thing
in accepting this invitation; but no mat
ter, a day is soon passed." The duties
of the toilet were discharged rather for
his own satisfaction than in compliment to
the host who expected him; and that
done, he proceeded to the street Of Rome
where his bankers house was situated
AS the latter had told him his wife did
not live in the part Of the mansion occu-
pied by the counting house, he begged
on arriving TO be conducted TO the lady
A number Of Wallets in rich live ries led
him across small garden, filled with
rare and exotic plants, and . itcr conduct
ing him through several apartments sImp-
tuously furnished, introduced him to a
handsome drawing room, where he found
his banker, who presented him to his
wife and mother; the former was young
and pretty, the latter not yet old, and
both were dressed in rich stufTs. and a
'dorned with fine pearls end sparkling
diamonds, which ettested the wealth of
the honest and laborious head Of the fam
lily; he seemed to have left behind, a.
mongst the duslsy lcdgers and port lolios,
the man of the black velvet cap and
woolcn dressing gown; while the man
ners and conversation of fifteen or twen-
ty visitors, who were assembled in the
drawing room, led to the inference that
this house was one Of the best, if not the
very best, in the city. Dinner was scrv-
ed, and the young stranger became con-
vinced that it was so. The viands were
excellent, and the wines exquisite, the
table covered with abundance Of massy
silver plate; in short, the young traveller
was obliged mentally to admit, that he
had never partaken of more delicate fare,
or seen greater display ofmagnificcnce !;
and he was more than ever coniounded,
upon nscertaining from one Of the per-
sons near him, that the banker gave a
similar entertainment twice a week.
While coffee was serving, he ruminatcd
on all he had witnessed; but his young
ideas had to arrange themselves into that
mutual dependence Of causes and effect
which would easily have brought the
whole to the level Of understanding -
"Young man." said his host, tapping him
on the shoulder, "you are absent, and
almost pensive; have you made bad
dinner?" But the expression Of his eyes,
and the infection of his voice in pronoun-
cling these words seemed to mean; HAS
not your fear of bad dinner yet vanish
ed" The young man blushcd, as if he
had really heard the latter sentence; but
tho good fnancer understood his blush ),
and laughing said, "No offence! you are
too young to understand how masses are
formed, the true and only power; whcth-
er composed of money, water, or men, it
is all alike. A man is in an immense
centre of motion, but it must be begun,
it must be kept on. Young man, the lit
tie bits of paper which excited your de-
rision this morning, arc among the means
| employ for attaining it,"
ga fine story this, that you have been
telling US, Boncparte:" said Josephine,
smiling; "to me the most marvellous part
Of it is, that you have been speaking for
a quarter Of an hour together, and that
to women onlv."
'I did not forget that, assure YOU"
replied he, winking TO us; edo you think
/ should have preached in the same way
to men3 They never require it."
was much struck afterwards by this
idea of masses as the foundation of pow
err Memoirs Of The Duchess d'.aJrantes.