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every day given in England those quiet little family dinners of six or eight persons, which are the perfection of social life.

It is said that the number present at these dinners should not be less than the graces, nor more than the muses. There is a good deal of truth in this. Conversation cannot be general, or quite unrestrained, where the company exceeds eight or ten. In a party of sixteen or twenty, you are forced to converse with your neighbours on either side, or with the gentleman opposite to you. The master of a feast should take care in selecting his guests, whether in a large or in a small party-but more particularly in a small party-that they should be people of analogous tastes. In most cases it would not very well answer to place a Puritan side by side with a High Churchman, or a peace-at-any-price man next an engineering officer, earnest in the pursuit of his profession. An allopathist should not be united en petit comité with a homoeopathist, nor a whig of the old school with a violent radical. The great object is to pair amiable, pleasant, and agreeable men, who have travelled much and lived in the world, and pleasant and agreeable women. A good talker at a dinner-table is a great acquisition, but good listeners are not less essential.

But your good talker should be an urbane and polite man, not bumptious and underbred. Barristers and travelled physicians are generally excellent company, though the former not seldom monopolise too much of the conversation, and give it occasionally a shoppy air. If the object of dining be to secure the greatest quantity of health and enjoyment, such results are more likely to be attained at small than at those set and formal dinners, where people are keptto use the language of the late Mr. Walker-in "stately durance." The essence of a good dinner, as the author of the "Original" sensibly remarks, is "that it should be without ceremony, and that you should have what you want when you want it." This you cannot have at a ceremonial and formal London dinner, where you are encumbered with help, and are not allowed to do anything for yourself. At small every-day dinners, you may have everything upon the table that is wanted at the time; thus, for salmon you would have lobster, or parsley and butter, or cockle sauce, as you might prefer, with Cayenne, chili vinegar, sliced cucumber, &c. The comfort of this is great, as the guests pass the sauces at once and instantaneously to each other. At great dinners this is never done. Everything is handed round by a file of liveried servants, who are continually changing the courses and taking up and laying down dishes, to the discomfort of the guests. Yet it is this dull, comfortless, stately, and ostentatious formality that every one is striving at.

"State," as Mr. Walker observes, "without the machinery of state, is of all states the worst ;" and it is detestable to see men with a couple of thousands a year, and a couple of men servants, and an English female cook, imitating the style of living of men of thirty thousand a year, with a dozen male servants. I would not have it inferred that a large income and a first-rate man cook are indispensable to the giving of good dinners. There are now several Schools of Cookery in London, from some of which one can obtain regularly educated female cooks, and it is quite possible, with small establishments and small fortunes, to give comfortable and even elegant dinners, in which the English style shall be diversified by the French. But in these small establishments too much should not be attempted. Everything savouring of too much state and overdisplay should be discarded. The dishes should be choice, but limited in number, and the wines more remarkable for their excellence than their variety. It is the exquisite quality of a dinner or a wine that pleases us, not the number of dishes, nor the number of vintages. The late Earl of Dudley was wont to say, "That a good soup, a small turbot, a neck of venison, and ducklings with green peas, or chicken with asparagus, or an apricot tart, was a dinner for an emperor !" and, to my thinking, it was far too good for most emperors past and present.

This is sound good practical advice, and it places a good dinner à la portée de tout le monde. There are some further observations, however,

with regard to guests, which, the host having done his part of the duty, are by no means to be disregarded:

In asking people to dinner, you should put to yourself the question, "Why do I ask them ?" and, unless the answer be satisfactory, they are not likely to contribute much to the agreeability and sociality of the entertainment. They may be ornamental; it may be necessary, in a give-and-take sense, to have them in return for a dinner already long received and digested; but, unless they are sensible, social, unaffected, and clever men, they are not likely to contribute much to the hilarity of the entertainment. You may ask a man because he is a bon vivant, because he is a raconteur, because he talks brilliantly and eloquently, because he is a wit, because he is a distinguished traveller, poet, historian, or orator, or because he is a good-natured popular man, a bon enfant," or, what used to be called, a "jolly good fellow." But do not ask any, however much above the average, who is a prig, who is pretentious, who is disputatious, or who is underbred. Never introduce to your table men who have not the feelings, habits, manners, and education of gentlemen-I had almost said, the birth of a gentleman; but it must be remembered that nature now and again produces some magnificent specimens of what somebody has called "God Almighty's gentlemen." But these are the exceptions, not the rule; for it will generally be found that men of gentle birth are also men of gentle breeding. The only two positively offensive and ill-bred men I ever encountered in society were men of some ability, who had probably never entered the house of a gentleman to dinner till they were four or five-and-twenty. In these instances, the want of early training, and culture in manners and les convenances, had never been supplied. The presence of men of this stamp is destructive to good fellowship. They are social pests, and should be avoided comme la gale..

All great men have their weak points, and Mr. Kirwan has a decided inkling for bachelor dinners, which reflects sadly upon his gallantry :

I have not said a word of bachelors' dinners; though, of all dinners in the world, they are the pleasantest, from the laisser aller and laissez faire style which prevails at them. At bachelors' parties, the age, disposition, and amusing qualities of the guests are more considered than at regular set dinners. Bachelors look for the idem velle and the idem nolle when they play the Amphitryon, and, in consequence, they succeed. Another reason of the success of bachelors' entertainments arises from the fact that the dishes are few and simple; and as the dinner is generally given in a small house or chambers, the kitchen is not too far removed from the eating parlour. Everything comes up "screeching hot," as they say in Ireland, and not lukewarm or soddened, as too often happens at great dinners. Centrepieces, epergnes, and dormants do not generally figure at bachelors' dinners, and there is an absence of form and ceremony which gives zest. Ladies in general love ceremony and ornaments, and the accessories of epergnes, flowers, and perfumes.

JOHN LA W.

BY WILLIAM HARRISON AINSWORTH.

Book the Fourth.

III.

OF THE QUARREL BETWEEN LAW AND THE EARL OF STAIR.

LAW's conversion by the Abbé Tencin, who afterwards became a cardinal, gave rise to the following pasquil :

Fi de ton zèle séraphique,
Malheureux Abbé de Tencin;
Depuis que Law est Catholique,
Tout le royaume est capucin.

The event was celebrated by a grand entertainment given by the Duc de Bourbon, at which the Regent and the whole of the court were present.

Among the many distinguished guests assembled on this occasion was the British ambassador, the Earl of Stair; and in the course of the evening his lordship found an opportunity of saying a few words in private to the Regent.

"Monseigneur," he began, "I am sure you would regret that anything should occur to disturb the good understanding at present subsisting between the court of my royal master and that of your highness."

"Your excellency is quite right," rejoined the Regent. "I should greatly regret it. But I see no chance of our friendly relations being interrupted. To what do you allude?"

"I will speak frankly," replied Lord Stair. "It is generally understood that Mr. Law's conversion, which has taken place this day, and which we are here met to celebrate, is a preliminary step to his elevation to the office of comptroller-general of finance.'

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"Suppose it to be so, what then?" replied the Regent, coldly. "I have only to remark, monseigneur, that the appointment could not be agreeable to my royal master, because Mr. Law's predilections are known to be favourable to the fallen dynasty. Indeed, I have proof that letters have passed between him and the Chevalier de Saint George."

"Your excellency's information is correct," said the Regent, All rights reserved.

"but as you may possibly be ignorant of the purport of those letters, I will acquaint you with it. At your instance, my lord, the pension allowed to the proscribed royal family by his late majesty, Louis XIV., was discontinued; but since M. Law has risen to his present eminence, and has become the dispenser of so many bounties, the unfortunate prince wrote to him thus-I will give the precise words: 'I address myself to you as to a good Scotsman, and a faithful servant of the Regent, and I ask you to assist me.' The letter was laid before me by M. Law, who besought my permission to pay out of his own funds the pension which had been stopped at the Treasury. Of course I could not refuse the request."

"Mr. Law may have been influenced by worthy motives in this affair," said the ambassador; "but I think his generosity is ill judged. It is certain to be misconstrued. The circumstance mentioned by your highness strengthens my opinion that the appointment will be unsatisfactory to my royal master. Mr. Law must be regarded as an enemy of England. He has been heard to boast that he will ruin our trade and commerce, and make us subsidiary to France."

"I never heard him make such a boast," replied the Regent. "But your lordship cannot complain of fair rivalry. You cannot expect us to forego advantages to please you."

"I am not foolish enough to expect such concession, monseigneur," rejoined Lord Stair. "But I am too well aware of Mr. Law's disposition towards the country of his birth not to feel uneasy at his accession to power. I am certain it will be his aim to cause a disagreement between your highness and the king my master. Only a few days ago he announced to some friends of mine his intention of publishing a treatise, to prove that it is impossible for Great Britain to pay her debts."

"If your country is solvent, the book will do no harm," laughed the Regent.

"The book may not, monseigneur, but its author may. As comptroller-general, Mr. Law will be in a condition to damage my country, and everything indicates that he will try to do so. We stand too much in the way of his ambitious designs to allow him to look upon us with a friendly eye. All these things considered, I repeat, that the elevation of such a man to the chief post of your government must be displeasing to the king my master, and I would fain hope that the appointment may not take place."

"Your excellency is uneasy without cause," said the Regent. "M. Law is resolved to advance the prosperity of France to the highest possible point, but not at the expense of Great Britain. As to the rest, I will take good care there shall be no misunderstanding between the two courts."

"Your highness is then resolved to make this adventurer prime minister?" said Lord Stair, unable to control himself.

"If I had not previously intended to do so, your excellency's observations would decide me," replied the Regent, with dignity. "I shall appoint a minister, not to please England, but to serve France."

At this moment Law himself appeared, and seeing them engaged in discourse, was about to retire, when the Regent called him back, saying, "We have been talking about you."

"I have no wish to disguise my opinions," said Lord Stair. "I hope your highness will tell Mr. Law that I object to his appointment to the office of comptroller-general for two reasons. First, that he is a secret friend of the Pretender; secondly, that he is the avowed enemy of Great Britain."

"If I am the avowed enemy of England, my lord—though I deny that I am so you need fear no perfidy on my part," rejoined Law. "Had the unfortunate James Stuart perished at Nonancourt by the hand of the assassin Douglas, my assistance would not have been required. But as the prince happily escaped that foul plot, I have aided him, and shall continue to aid him as long as I am permitted to do so by his Highness the Regent."

At this allusion to the dark design of which he was known to be the instigator, Lord Stair became livid with rage.

"And now, monseigneur," pursued Law, turning to the Regent, "I have a word to say to Lord Stair on my own account. I charge him with being the author of a plot against me-not to take away my life, as he would have done that of the Chevalier de Saint George, but to destroy my credit. The late attack upon the Bank was his contrivance. Of this I have ample proof."

"It is a calumny," rejoined the ambassador. "I may have said. to certain of my countrymen that I prefer specie to your paper, and they may have acted on the hint, and repaired to the Bank, but as to any combination, I repudiate the charge, and challenge you to make good the assertion. I trust your highness will hesitate before committing the guidance of the statechariot to this modern Phaeton. Most assuredly he will upset

it."

"You go too far in your remarks, my lord," said the Regent. "M. Law is now virtually comptroller-general. Let me hope that this difference between you may be adjusted." "Impossible, monseigneur," said Law. "After what has passed between Lord Stair and myself, not even official intercourse can take place between us.

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"Then, my lord," said the Regent, turning to the ambassador, "I shall be compelled to ask your recal."

"I am sorry to have lost the personal credit I have so long enjoyed with your highness," replied Lord Stair, "but I have

VOL. LVI.

G

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