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312 cultivated than at the present; and from which he had received a summons so abrupt as that given by the jealous, furious, and enraged Douglas! His thoughts, from a natural coincidence, reverted to Harcourt,—another flighty and impetuous spirit, thought he; for himself he was cool and determined, intrepid and daring; and, whilst he drew the comparison in his own favour at the expense of the others, he thought, at the same time, how enviable was his situation, how rejoiced would each have been to have found himself placed in so near proximity to an object affecting him so powerfully!

Thus musing, he instinctively approached her. Modulating, as was usual to him, the tones of his voice into a perfect softness, he addressed her several questions; he exerted himself to please her, passing lightly, with infinite address, from subject to subject. Sir Howard was by nature volatile, but in his intercourse with life, he had acquired sophistry and the art of moulding his words and actions to whatever shape he chose; and could at pleasure, in assimilating with the taste of those he conversed with, become either gay, winning, and seductive, or serious, rational, and reflective. The latter qualities he was aware would best recommend him to Rosilia.