accomplished the better. Lord Goldsborough
appeared to her to be unexceptionable as a son-
in-law ; for although she scarcely knew him,
yet experience has shewn the unbounded
power of rank and fashion over the discernment
of Mrs. Lovaine. William De Cliiford could
only lay claim to half the advantages of Lord
Goldsborough — he was a second brother, —
without rank ; and she had just Jearnt from Eli-
nor, that he intended to be a clergyman. Now
though she had a great respect for the cloth,
yet to have spent so much time, and labour,
and money, upon her daughter, to have her
buried in the country — a parson's wife, scarcely
suited her views better, than for her to become
the wife of an accomplished, but poorish Polish
officer, who, though extremely popular on the
Continent, would be nobody in England : —



176 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

consequently, Mrs. Lovaine determined in her
own mind, to take all possible care that Elinor
should not waste too much of her time and ta»
lents upon those she did not wish her to take
for better for worse ; though, as she would
have been equally sorry for Elinor unnecessa-
rily to affront any young man of fashion, she
determined to let things take their own course
for a little while, and only to interfere when it
was absolutely necessary.

It is the custom at Spa, to meet in the even-
ing at each other's houses, for the nominal pur-
pose of drinking tea, — for the real one of enjoy-
ing society ; and the Lovaines were to go to a
soiree of this description at Lady Melrose's, a
few evenings after all these wise reflections and
resolutions had been made by Mrs. Lovaine.

The De Cliffords and many other people
were there, and music was proposed. Emily



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. ITT

De Clifford was asked to sing with Mr. Gor-
don ; they had often sang together before, and
there was therefore no difficulty in selecting a
duet. Lady Harriet had always impressed her
daughter with the necessity of never making a
fuss, inasmuch as no amateur performance could
ever compensate for the trouble of intreating,
and begging, and praying. Emily, therefore,
complied upon this, as upon all other occa-
sions, when she saw that her compliance was
desired or expected.

Her voice possessed great richness, power,
and flexibility, and she had had both taste and
talent to profit by the good instruction she
had received.

Mr. Gordon also sang with feeling, for he

sang with Emily, and though till lately he had

never much cultivated his vocal powers, he

had such a good voice, and such a correct ear,

i5



1T8 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

that the performance of this duet gave uni-
versal pleasure.

" Does your daughter sing ?" inquired Lady
Melrose of Mrs. Lovaine as soon as it was
over.

" Yes ; and I assure you, though I know I
ought not to say so, she has a sweet voice, and
Manielli took such pains with her !'*

Whilst this dialogue was passing at one
end of the room, Emily De Clifford was press-
ing poor Elinor to sing at the other; but
though Elinor did not know how much, or
• why, or in what way she failed, she still was
conscious tl.at her performance in that line
was not sufficiently successful to please any
body, and therefore modestly declined. But
Lady Melrose having requested to hear her,
she was left no further choice; for Mrs. Lo-
vaine desired her to comply. She was naturally



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 179

shy, and the feehng that all eyes were turned
upon her, did not tend to diminish her em-
barrassment, at finding herself obliged to prove
to her auditors how right she had been in de-
clining to favour them with a song.

We have before mentioned Elinor's defi-
ciency of musical talent, and it is needless to
add, that fear did not assist it. When she had
finished, every one wished to say something
flattering, and yet, in common honesty, no-
body could praise what they did not admire.
A moment's silence ensued after the last chord
had been struck, and then Lady Melrose had
recourse to the usual subterfuges on such oc-
casions, by saying, " What a pretty thing that
is, Miss Lovaine! whose music is it?" And
another person asked v/hether she had learnt

of , at Rome, and advised her to

have Signor Seappa, when she went to Eng-



180 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

land : a third remarked, that she had a high
voice; and a fourth, that she had good low
notes : in short, most of the company contrived
to notice her performance, without committing
themselves to say that which was not true.

Emily De Clifford was too much accustomed
to being praised herself, not to know full well
the value of those remarks ; she therefore did
not bestow them upon Elinor, whose gentle
unaffected manners and pretty countenance
had won her heart, but she asked her whether
she would sometimes come to her in the morn-
ing, that they might practise together ; for she
thought that by making her attempt easier
songs, or by singing with her, she would be
enabled to appear to greater advantage. In-
deed, so entirely was Emily above all wish
for petty triumphs, that she would often sacri-
fice herself by taking parts, or doing things in



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 181

which she knew she did not excel, sooner than
suffer others to miss an opportunity of doing
themselves justice.

Elinor thankfully accepted the oifer, and
immediately after. Lord Goldsborough was an-
nounced. His Lordship was extremely proud
of his musical talents, and, as Mr. Mordaunt
once said, " was always obliging and ready to
sing whenever he was asked, and sometimes
before he was asked." He proposed singing a
duet with Emily, who excused herself as Lady
Harriet was tired, and she was instantly going
home. He then suggested the same honour to
Miss Lovaine: but she declined, not knowing
any of those he mentioned. Mrs. Lovaine
assured Elinor in vain that she knew them all ;
but she was more easily silenced than usual, by
Lord Goldsborough offering with the greatest
politeness to wait upon them, whenever it was



182 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

convenient to the ladies, for the purpose of
trying a little music.

Mrs. Lovaine assured his Lordship with one
of her sweetest smiles, that he had only to name
the hour and day when he would be kind
enough to call, and that Elinor should be ready
for him.

Elinor was standing by her mother when she
thus promised her daughter should be at the
beck and call of Lord Goldsborough; and, little
as sh e was in the habit of questioning the pro-
priety of any thing that Mrs. Lovaine said or
did, her instinctive dignity revolted at the tone
and manner in which Lord Goldsborough had
been given to understand that they were both
his most obedient humble servants. She dared
not shew her disapproval; but, not liking to
make herself a party to any such engagement,
she withdrew a few steps in silence, leaving her



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. I S3

mother and Lord Goldsborough in doubt as to
whether she was even listening to what passed.

Her glowing cheeks, however, left no such
doubc on the mind of William De Clifford,
who both observed and appreciated her quiet
but dignified manner.

Mrs. Lovaine was delighted at the prospect
of the heir-apparent 's intended visits, and
secretly flattered herself that the time would
not be far distant when she might see her
daughter splendidly settled, and have the ad-
ditional satisfaction of thus proving to Mr.
Lovaine the advantages of travelKng.

Poor Lord Goldsborough ! Little did he
think to what hopes and plans his proposed
practice of duets had given rise: and how
many miles from Spa would he have travelled
that very night had he known them ! For to
his Lordship's conviction that he was, what



184 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

is vulgarly called, " a great catch," he very
modestly joined the fear that he might be
caught. So doubtful, indeed, did he feel of
his own discernment in such matters, that he
was known in more instances than one, to
have earnestly requested two or three of his
intimate friends to warn him of his danger, the
moment they perceived any one making, as he
called it, " a set at him ;" and in more in-
stances than one, it is supposed that his trea-
cherous friends availed themselves of this re-
quest, as a means to rid themselves of his
presence, when they either had, or imagined
they had, cause to dread him as a rival.



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 185



CHAPTER X.

We mentioned in our last chapter that Mr.
Gordon sang with feeling, because he sang
with Emily ; by which we meant to give our
readers a suspicion, that the sentiments she had
awakened in him were more than those of com-
mon friendship, for such was the case, though
it was some time (even after it had been re-
marked by two or three of her friends) ere
Emily ceased to deny their existence.

His attentions now, however, became too
marked for the most sceptical to doubt their
source; and Lady Harriet began to think it
was time to speak seriously to her daughter
upon the subject.



186 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

Lady Harriet was, like Mrs. Lovaine, anxi-
ous that her daughter should marry ; but, un-
like Mrs. Lovaine, she was not blinded by rank
and fortune, and was far from persuading her-
self, or attempting to persuade Emily, that
every man possessed of those advantages must,
of necessity, also enjoy every moral and intel-
lectual quality. But the state of her health
often made her apprehensive that her life
might not be spared for many years longer ;
and she felt that if Emily was but established
happily, she could die in peace and comfort, so
far as concerned her fate, and that of the two
younger children : for she was sure that the
disadvantages arising from the loss of a mother
would be comparatively small, were Emily in a
situation to be of service and protection to
them. Lady Harriet also thought that Emily
was too much disposed to indulge hfer imagina-



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 187

tion in creating a heau ideal, by the standard
of which she measured the various admirers
that her youth, beauty, and charms naturally
gave her; and by this means would, perhaps,
lose opportunities, never to be regained, of
laying up a store of future happiness. Often
and often would she argue with her daughter
upon the expedience of moderating her ideas
of the quantum of affection, without which it
was against her principles ever to marry.

Lady Harriet's own marriage had been ra-
ther one of convenience than of inclination ;
but from the fortunate circumstance of Mr. De
Clifford and herself being extremely well suited
to each other, their mutual attachment had
much increased after their union. Lady Har-
riet, like many others, was, perhaps, a little too
prone to found general principles upon parti-
cular instances; and she could not persuade



188 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

herself that feelings, which had cost her no
effort to entertain, were not so entirely matters
of course, as to be certain of being equally felt
by all others placed under similar circum-
stances; consequently, she repeatedly assured
her daughter, that her ideas were too high-
flown, and that, although she would rather die
than see her married to a person that she did
not like, she was quite confident that any man,
for whom she felt no positive dislike, and of
whose character she had a good opinion, was
more likely to make her happy, than one for
whom she fancied a romantic passion. And
then all the instances of the failures of love
marriages, the happiness of her own, and that
of two other of her intimate friends, were ad-
duced to prove the truth of her assertion. t
There was nothing which Emily more
secretly dreaded than the advances of a man,



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 189

unexceptionable in every respect, but who
had not the power of inspiring her with any
warmer feehng than that of esteem or friend-
ship — and such a man was Mr. Gordon. He
was about thirty years of age ; by no means
handsome, though not absolutely plain ; he had
a good deal of talent for music, and was not with-
out taste for the fine arts in general ; his tem-
per was good, and he was generally considered
a very respectable man : he was, however, far
from being agreeable in conversation, though
he was possessed of a tolerable degree of in-
formation on many subjects.

Emily was, as we have before mentioned, all
life and spirits : but Mr. Gordon never under-
stood or saw the fun of a joke; he was so in-
tolerably " matter of fact" upon all occasions,
that often, when Mr. Mordaunt amused every
one else by some sally of affected bitterness



190 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

upon la pluie et le beau temps^ Mr. Gordon
would as gravely begin to argue the point with
him, as though it were possible Mr. Mordaunt
could for one moment have been in earnest.
Emily also perceived that Mr. Gordon, at
times, betrayed a degree of family pride, and a
want of liberality on all subjects, that by no
means rendered him more pleasing to her.
Yet these feelings never appeared in a glaring
manner; they were sufficiently obvious to
leave a general impression of their existence
on the mind of Miss De Clifford, though they
were too trifling to produce a similar effect on
that of Lady Harriet, when repeated to her ;
but how often may a look, a word uttered, or a
word withheld, stamp an impression on the
minds of those present, which cannot be con-
veyed by description or by repetition.

Mr. Gordon had, by Emily's own confession,



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 191

scarcely left her side during one long ride;
a circumstance which, not unnaturally, gave
rise to one of the many amicable arguments
to which we have alluded, between mother and
daughter.

" Why, dearest, should you wish to avoid
Mr. Gordon's society ?" said Lady Harriet, in
answer to Emily's lamenting his having spent
so much time with her.

" Because, Mamma, every body remarks it,
and I hate to be talked about. Besides, as
you all say he has a preference for me, it
would be very wrong if I were to let him
suppose it was reciprocal."

" And why should it not be reciprocal, my
love?"

" That is impossible, you know. Mamma."

" I know that you are a very foolish girl ;
and I believe that you liked Mr. Gordon very



198 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION*

much, till you saw that he wished you to like
him more."

" But surely, dear Mamma, you will not
deny that it is very possible to like a man as an
acquaintance, or even as a friend, without
wishing to marry him."

" Ah ! my dear child, I fear you will live to
repent this romantic fastidiousness. Now, tell
me honestly, what is there in Mr. Gordon to
which you object?"

" I do not feel that I care for him — I like to
be with my old friend, Mr. Mordaunt, and
many other people, much better."

" I do not deny that Mr. Mordaunt is very
agreeable : perhaps more so, in society, than
Mr. Gordon; but it is not always those who
are most brilliant in company that shine best
at home."

" That is very true. Mamma ; and you know



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 193

that my beau ideal^ with which you so often
quarrel, consists in possessing superior abilities,
but not in devoting both them and himself to
mere clever detail of amusing gossip."

" Do you, then, object to Mr. Gordon's
appearance ? for though he is not handsome, I
have often heard you sav, that vou thought he
looked like a gentleman."

" Yes, Mamma, I do thinTc so ; and I do not
wish to marry a beauty man. I do not think
Mr. Gordon's looks are at all against him, but
1 have heard, and indeed have sometimes
fancied that I could perceive myself, that he
w^as a little disposed to be stingy ; and though
I respect economy, yet a particle of meanness,
or even a want of generosity, is what I could
not endure in one whom I wished to love and
respect."

" My dear, you can have had but very few

VOL. I. K



194 THE SCHOOL OF FASHIOI^,

Opportunities of judging yourself upon tlii*
point ; and I am much inclined to believe it
is only said, because he is not so shamefully
extravagant as most other young men are. I
am sure he enters into all your pursuits : he is
fond of music ; and he takes great delight in
your drawings, though he does not draw him-
self.'^

" So he does, Mamma — but — but — "

" But what, my dear?"

" Why, to be honest, I feel it would be
very wrong to profess to like a person in
whom I have so little real interest, that were I
never to see him again, I am sure it would not
cost me five minutes' regret."

" Dear Emily, you know I would rather die
than urge you to do any thing you did not
like ; nor do I wish you to marry merely for
establishment: for instance, I would hardly



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 195

consent to your throwing yourself away upon
such a person as Lord Goldsborough, whom I
am sure you could not like, and who is in-
capable of appreciating you. But surely, my
love, it is not wise to set your mind against a
person, merely because he does not entirely
fulfil ideas of perfection, which are not to be
found in real life."

" Indeed, Mamma, I do not think my wishes
so very extravagant; and even if they cannot
be realized, I shall be very contented at home,
with all of you. Why should I exchange
certain, for uncertain happiness ? I think Mr.
Gordon very dull, and he seems to have no
wish to distinguish himself."

" I assure you, my dear, the more ambitious
a man is the less he cares for his wife : and
after all, if your husband has good sense, that
K 2



196 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

is quite enough for tlie common purposes of
life, without his being first minister."

'• He is not only much older than I am, but
he is so grave : I know not whether he ever
understands a joke, but I am sure I never saw
him smile at one in my life."

'•' Why, ten years is generally, and very
properly, considered the right difference be-
tween a man and a woman ; and as you are
twenty-one, far from being too old, he is, in
fact, too young for you by a whole year.
But, Emily, listen to me, and think well, my
dear child, of what I say : here is a man,
against whose character, temper, appearance,
and family, you have nothing to allege — you
like his mother — his fortune is already good,
and will be very great at his father's death.
He is evidently warmly attached to you ; most



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 197

of your pursuits are already his, and the rest
would soon become so. I grant he is neither
a poet nor a statesman, but where do you find
such qualities as his united in such characters?
Perfection is not to be found in man or
woman ; and the phoenix is not a more vara
avis than a man who possesses the junction
of such superior talents as you require, with
every mild domestic virtue. The only moral
defect you have mentioned, is one of vdiich
you cannot be certain ; and at present, I own,
I am rather disposed to give him credit for his
courage in resisting the temptations of extra-
vagance, than to blame him for his prudence :
and yet you would reject the offer of such a
man (should it be made), only because you do
not think yourself sufficiently devoted to him !
Depend upon it, if you have no dislike to him



198 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

when you accept him, you will find the love
come very speedily afterwards."

Emily looked grave, and thought it never
would.

" I will not press the subject upon you
further, my love, because I wish you always
to consult your own feelings entirely on these
subjects ; but I thought it right to point out to
you all the advantages which would arise from
such a marriage.'*

Emily kissed her mother affectionately, and
retired to bed — but with a heavier heart than
she had done for some time. She thought
over all that had passed between her and her
mother, till she began to question herself, why
she did not feel disposed to see the various me-
rits of Mr. Gordon as plainly as did Lady
Harriet. She taxed herself with the fastidious-



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 199

ness of which she had been accused^biit
as she felt sure that she could make up her
niind to become the wife of half a dozen of her
acquaintance, provided Mr. Gordon was tiot
one, she acquitted herself of that failing. She
then accused herself of such a natural want of
sensibility, as rendered her incapable of those
feelings, without which she did not wish to
marry : — but the recollection of how tenderly
she loved every member of her family, at once
forbad the idea of any deficiency in her powers
of affection.

Perhaps the comparison between Mr. Gor-
don and another individual of her acquain-
tance, was not to the advantage of the former.
But, said Emily to herself, why should I com-
pare a man who is nothing to me, or I to him,
with one in whose society I cannot pass an
hour, without being in danger of his making



200 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

too plain a declaration to be misimderiood;
and, though alone, she reddened at the humi-
liating idea, tliat she had allowed her thoughts,
even for an instant, to rest, though not to dwell,
upon the image of one, who, she was sure, would
neither ask or desire such a distinction ; and
could Mr. Gordon but have proposed to her
before she had had time to recollect herself, she
would perhaps have been almost induced to
accept him, in order to convince herself, that
she was incapable of caring for one who was
indifferent towards her.

Again, upon reflection, her heart and prin-
ciples recoiled at the idea of professing an affec-
tion which she did not feel, and of irrevocably
binding herself to a man, who found less fa-
vour in her eyes than did six others whom she
silently enumerated. Whether, if five out of
those six, had, like Mr. Gordon, been com-



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 201

pared with the sixth, the decision would still
have been in their favour, we cannot pretend
to say.

Still the often repeated assurances of her
mother, that though she had married Mr. De
Clifford with even something like reluctance,
she would not have exchanged her lot for that
of any other human being, so perfectly un-
clouded had been her married life (saving the
loss of children), pressed upon her mind. She
doubted whether her feelings might not under-
go the same cliange as had done those of Lady
Harriet in former days ; and the anxious de-
sire she felt to please her mother, v/as another
inducement, not to throw away such an oppor-
tunity of fulfilling her wishes, by settling In
life.

Thus was poor Emily torn by conflicting
feelings : she v/ished to do what was right, and
k5



202 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

the more she dweU upon the subject, the more
perplexed and unhappy did she feel ; till fall-
ing on her knees, she implored, with tears in
her eyes, that her judgment might be assisted,
and earnestly prayed, never to be placed in
any situation where she would be tempted be-
yond what she could bear: then rising with
those feelings of composure which must ever
spring from the confidence, that what is asked
of a merciful and omnipotent Being will not be
asked in vain, she retired to rest, and resolving
that she would take no unnecessary thought for
the morrow, she sank into a deeper sleep
than, we suspect, fell that night to the lot of
the unhappy object of her reflections.



THE SCHOOL OF FASHION. 203



CHAPTER XL

t3uR readers may remember, that when we
quitted Herbert Lovaine, he had been for a
moment in danger of relapsing into a mere sen-
timentalist ; but a friend in need is a friend
indeed, and his thoughts were speedily turned
by Mr. Benson to the consideration of those
subjects, which he had learnt the preceding
spring to consider as alone worthy of his at-
tention.

He studied Mr. Jeremy Bentham's book of
fallacies^ till every government, institution,
and opinion, appeared in his eyes grounded
on fallacy, constructed by fallacy, and sup-
ported by fallacy: — in short, all was fal-



204 THE SCHOOL OF FASHION.

lacious, save and except his own unerring
judgment.

He again addressed his former auditors at
the debating society; and though, from some
strange and unaccountable reason, at the end
of the first hour and a half of his speech, those
equivocal signs of yawning and snoring, of
coughing and sneezing, were exhibited by a
large proportion of the company, he yet gave
such universal satisfaction, from the improve-
ment in his style, that those who considered
him at his debut as " a rising^ vouns^ man,"
might now be fairly supposed to pronounce
him "risen."

He entirely abstained from all society but
that which was likely to improve his mind— or,
as his uncle would say, to flatter his vanity ;
for, unaccountable as it may seem, yet certain