AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



far between." To hold a certain place in society, with an 

 income incompetent to its expenses, is a state of inexpressible 

 misery. Gradually I became embarrassed, and in two years 

 found it necessary to exchange from the Blues to a Light 

 Cavalry regiment, then stationed in the East Indies. My 

 uncle made no objection ; he was tired of what he termed sup- 

 plying my boundless extravagance, bade me a cold farewell, 

 and his parting words, as I stepped into the carriage, were a 

 request that I would " write but seldom, as postage from the 

 East, his lawyer told him, was enormous." 



I obeyed him to the letter, I only wrote once, and that was 

 conveying an entreaty that he would purchase a majority 

 likely to become vacant; I got a coarse refusal, and thus 

 our correspondence terminated. For four years I never heard 

 from him, and had nearly forgotten that I had left a relation 

 behind me. 



I was surprised, however, at this distant period with a 

 letter, worded in his stiff and peculiar style. It briefly 

 stated that his health was indifferent, and that he would 

 recommend me to return to Europe with as little delay as 

 possible. 



This recommendation was anything but gratifying. I liked 

 India well enough the climate agreed with me my health 

 was unimpaired the mess was good the regiment gentle- 

 manly and better still, I could live most comfortably upon 

 my pay. I felt, however, that my uncle's invitation should 

 not be neglected ; applied for leave ; succeeded, and made 

 immediate preparations for a return to Europe. My brother 

 officers congratulated me on my good fortune in so speedily 

 revisiting my native country ; but to me it was a subject of 

 regret. I was leaving pleasant quarters, cheerful society, and 

 comparative independence, to become a slave to the caprice 

 and ill-humour of a morose and splenetic invalid. 



It w r as late in December when I landed at Portsmouth. 

 The voyage had been remarkably quick, and without delay I 

 started for my uncle's residence, and in the gloom of a wet 

 wintry evening re-entered the gates of Lai worth Park. I 

 looked down the long vista of splendid elms, but in the twi- 

 light the house was not visible ; not a candle glanced from a 

 window, and no indication of its being inhabited appeared 

 about this melancholy mansion. The postboy stopped I 

 alighted, ran up the steps and rang gently no one answered 



