Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-02-08
From BIackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
TIL ONYX RING.
CHAPTER ~.


about half the term of hree.score years and ten,
but appeared rather younger than his age. lie was
OF middle size, aud pleasing appearance WIN lea.
lures more regular than expressive, and an ar OF
much ease and poleness. Taste and refinemen,
had been the business of bis life. His large fortune
had been chiefly employed in the enjoyment AMI
accumulation of elegant Injuries. His house was
admirably arranged and beautifully furnished. HIS
pictures and other works Of ART always costly and
striking, If not always Of the deepest significance
The regularity and completeness ol his whole es'
Enlistment AMI existence were noted even among
the British aris,ocracy. His parties were The highest
models of good. breeding and cultivated relaxation.
combined with spendour In The manner OF the
host, with perpetual selI.consciousness that gave
somelhng of GOODNESS aud reserve. there was also
an unfang sn|icomuiud, aud arrest though
smooth concern for Others such from It's unvary.
ing consistency it could hardly be, was in its kind
most attractive. II was not the elevele1, the hu.
name, not even the beautiful which he increasingly
aimed AZ realizing but rs much OF all these rs
might he necessary to render him the most popn ar,
admired, aud Aa,lered leader Of English society,"
Every one felt in his company us If in wellpre.
porlioned and lighted gallery surrounded with grace
fol and harmonious objects They were only the
few 10 whom i, occurred that there could be any
.hing wanting in order to render the gallery home.
On the nex, day h one after that on which he
had met Miss Lascelles AZ the ball, he left London
Of friends to Join himself and his sister, and Maria
among them. Beechnrst was a stately Elizabrlhan
house, wanting, indeed, the majesty OF Greek
Temple, and The relig ion OF "A Gothic cahedra',
and the massive grimness Of II ieuda castle bit
having what efls house. family recolleclions,
spaconsness, eonvenit nee, dignity. plcuresqneness
and the look ola peaceful and beloved abode Tor
man. II was surrounded by ii large park, broken
surface, aud noble timber, iraversed by swift and
sparkling stream There was beauty in lis long
avenues Of elm and horse chestnut, IN its woods Of
oak aud knobs Of bceches in The smooh expanSes
Of verdire ,and the coourins Of The elevations ador
ed with fem, palefnwercI broom, and go'denlin
ed furze. There swans upon the river, and
anllere! herds beneath the foliage. About the
house were terraces with lights of stairs, and iOun.
ians with quaint figures and prolu-ion Of The
rarest and most pleasing flowers. And large old
fashioned garden, which ran along one side Of The
building, contained among many other tall grown
trees, expresses, cedars, and plane Of great
age, and beds of rich bloom surroundin, bronze or
marble statues and divided by walks OF velvet green.
Within the house were great galleries, halls, and
chambers, gorgeous with antique furniture, To
which had been added whatever nr graceful and
commodioIs modern art deyises, and containing a
large collection Of pictures.
In the evening Of The day on which Sir Charles
arrived a, Beechurst, several of his guests also
reached it. They we're persons Of very different
kinds. The most remarkable Ut them were Wal.
sing,am, an exquisite rather Than very popular
poet, and Hastings. IA traveller, who had visited
q, npsi c,ery part Of The i'll. W ilh these were
two or three artists and men Of letters. as many
young men Of rank and fortune, and a few ladies',
friends, or whom he chose to Call So Of Miss liar.
court, Sir Charles's sister. Among these was
numbered Maria Lascelles, who came under the
been sister TO Nr. Nugent. Mrs. Nusent was a
cousin of Sir Charles Harcourt. The Mount, AT
which the Nugenls lived. WAS at the distance Of
but few miles from Beechurst.
Maria looked with good deal Of curiosity Al
Walsnsham and Hastings. whom, except in large
societies, she had never seen before The poe
was man Of middle age and memorable appear
ance, with n face at once calm, thoughtful, refined
and elevated. lie was not SO rena kabe Tor hi
grace OF manner which is spontaneous, and th'
result of The whole character and structure. as To-
the dignity which is lis origin, and ill quite habua
is always selEconscious. The changes Of his coun
,enance were not rapid AMI the signs Of emo
ton we're lew and slight. His conversation
was ready, universal, finished ; and it would hav
been hard for any cultivated person 10 see hin
without receiving an impression OF the ulmos
height and fitness of mental accomplishment
Every body admitted that he said to them all tina
they had right 10 hear. and even gave them image
and thoughts Of which they had little previous con
cepton. But almost every one also felt that he
tween The inner man and hem there was an insur
mountable barrier, n medium OF most shining an
crystalline, but most cold and massive ice and fror
this very cause he had The greater power Of allurin
and fascinating, By free and spontaneous move
ments, the few, aud those chiefly women, vii
whom he had ever chosen 10 appear on terms {
sympathy. His poems were preeminenlly light
clear, and rounded, deIinealing innumerabe shape
ofbeauiy, chosen with rare felicity from all natur
and life. Blu, they dealt with The painful, the au;
,.,,l,t ,a far t,a, l.
subdued and Frightened 10 the purposes Of gtaceit
and serene art Nay, even his own exislenc
which had been to him work of art. seemed cor
struced on The same principle. lie had apparen
" cut off from it whatever elements fanper an
more awful being he could not, "a an arssl and
worker in outward lie, thoroughly comprehend
rise above, aud al win control. lie seemed Givo
lous only TO the gra'ely trivial. lie passed for OH
cular and prophetic with many Of hose whose fat
in the invisible is cherished as sense Of dominic
over a nobler realm than The outward, ra,h,
than as the consciousness of a thankful subecion
To him. in some things, Hastings afforded
pleasant contrast, lie was man whom TWEEN
Gears Of hardship and adventure sat lightly az
cheerfulIy His set and alert figure suited we
with his undislingusled, but lively and shrew
coun,enancc. His conversation was in great d.
gree made up of common remarks upon uncomnt
things and people AMI where he had only comnt
objects 10 deal with, commonest OF the comma
were all his views and feelings, hut when he spoil
Of The Brazilian foresls, The S,"ppes OF Tarary,
the plains Of Canraria, the topic gave an in'ere
which never would have arisen from the speake
Light hearted courage, and good hnmored KIND
ness, had been The ostrich wings TO help him smool
" over The world By profession u sailor, a
still holding heulenan,'s commission, he had spe
the long intervals Of his service in travelling.
had been present, in The same year, al the leve
of,he Amer ican President and the Persian Scha
and had made The Pope laugh by an anecdoe viii
he had picked up a few weeks be(ure in turkm
tent. IN every hand he had made friends of all
had lived among, and even seemed 10 have form
On amicable acquaintance with the beasts, Il
plants, and The very aspect Of The different counlri
He knew something Of natural history, and hat
collection Of curiosilies, some of which. as Il
happened TO fall under his hand, he would ca
with him for q week or two, wherever he might