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282 talk,' must necessarily be ill-natured. A discourse that turns entirely on persons, not things, will only admit praise as a novelty or a discovery. General praise is an insipidity; and faults, foibles, and ridicules, are brought forward, if it were only for the sake of variety." "Nay, now, I am sure Mde. de Cayleure is very good-natured." "Lively when she is amused, and obliging when not put out of her way: but good-natured I utterly deny. Good nature is one of our calumniated phrases—calumniated because misapplied." "You know I never contradict one of your definitions. I am too well aware that I have no chance in an argument, Mandeville, with you." This was a satisfactory termination to the dialogue. Cecil Spenser left the room for his morning ride, his reflections divided between Lord Mandeville's words and Miss Arundel's looks. The first person he met was Mr. Trevor—a young man who, having a great stock of idleness on hand, was always most happy to bestow some of it on his friends. "Ah, Spenser," said he, "I have been the whole day looking for you; you have left all