A BALL ROOM, AND A BELLE. 113 



— for the J do teach Latin there, if they don't teach 

 orthography — means to admire, not to he admired ; 

 and old Horace almost in the same breath that he re- 

 commends the nil admirari as the one recipe for real 

 distinction, declares against you when he avows that 

 it is pleasant to be pointed out with the finger, and to 

 have it said of you "that's the fellow!" But the truth is 



You have won of late 

 Golden opinions from all sorts of people, 

 Which should be worn while new, being in the gloss, 

 Not cast aside so soon — 



and as my protege and pet-lion, in some sort, I desire 

 to see you maintain yourself with all your blushing 

 honors thick about. But hold ! — your pardon — Amer- 

 icans don't blush, I fancy." 



"" Precious honors truly, to be envied by Jardinier, 

 pronounced almost the equal of Bellamy, and pro- 

 nounced ' so-so' with a shrug of the aristocratic shoul- 

 ders of the noble Cheshire." 



"'Whatever it is worth while to do at all, it is 

 worth the while to do well.' I think yesterday I 

 heard you pronounce that sentiment almost admirable. 

 Yet now that you have wrested admiration even from 

 the admired, behold I out breaks the lightning gleam 

 of Byronian or Satanic sneer, and the hero of the 

 minute waxes too proud to be proud of his own success. 

 Oh, Virginia ! Virginia, is this the philosophy of thy 

 first families !" 



" A truce ! a truce ! no more of that, an thou lov'st 

 me Hall, and I will cry Peccavi! but upon my soul 

 this exceeding desire for the approbation of fox-hunt- 

 ing Lords, appears to a poor republican, such as I, 

 somewhat contemptible." 



" Not that they are English Lords, but that they are 

 English Fox-hunters, that is to say the fox-hunters of 

 the world par excellence. But let us see most doughty 

 176 



