LIFE OF MYTTON. 57 



position, and many others who knew him as well as I 

 did will also have the picture in their mind's eye. 

 Lollintr back in his carriaore, which was croino: at its 

 usual pace, and picking a hole in his chin, as he was 

 always wont to do when anything particularly occu- 

 pied his thoughts, he uttered not a syllable for the 

 space of some minutes ; when, suddenly changing his 

 position, as if rousing from a deep reverie, he ex- 

 claimed with vehemence, " You may tell Longueville 

 to keep his advice to himself, _/^r / would not give a 

 d — n to live on six thousand a year" Knowing his 

 regard and esteem for that worthy gentleman, it was 

 in vain to urge the subject any further, for there was 

 that in his manner which convinced me he was not 

 to be persuaded on this point by any man, — no, not 

 though one rose from the dead. Hence is his ruin 

 dated. 



From the serious to the jocular is but a step, 

 and the mention of this circumstance leads to a joke. 

 A near relation was endeavouring to dissuade him 

 from parting with a certain estate, on the score of its 

 having been so long in the family. "How long.-*" 

 inquired Mytton. " Above five hundred years," was 

 the reply. " The d — 1 it has ! " he returned, " then 

 it is high time it should go out of ity 



