Page:Romance & Reality 3.pdf/104

102 a restless man. The earlier part of his life had been spent in a career, for which, above all others, he was suited—that of a bold and active Guerilla chief: but the quiet and loneliness of the succeeding peace was perfectly intolerable. He talked in the most beautiful manner of devoting himself to the education of his child; but unfortunately Beatrice was too young to comprehend the extent of the sacrifice. Having only his own opinion by which to estimate his talents, no marvel it was an exaggerated one. Don Henriquez would have been a happy man in England: he would have taken the chair at public dinners, and said the most touching things about alleviating the distresses of our fellow-creatures: he would have delayed as much as possible the business of county meetings, by shewing how much better it might be done: he would have given dinners to politicians, and called it supporting his party—and dinners to a few successful authors, and called it encouraging genius: he would have been in the opposition, and made some eloquent speeches on retrenchment and reform, and the newspapers next day would have complimented the honourable member for