ground! Their fall was like that of the favourites of Princes, which shakes the throne they once appeared destined to support. A long train of dependants were involved in the mighty ruin, and it was not without some degree of danger, that, following the servant, we scrambled through this scene of desolation to the apartment of Sir Caprice, whom we found seated at a large table, on which an innumerable quantity of plans, maps, models of buildings, and other various ornaments, were heaped. After reading the letter I had brought him, congratulating me on my arrival in England, and inquiring after the health of Mr. Grey, he turned to Doctor Severan, and expressed, in strong terms, the particular pleasure he at that moment felt in seeing him.--" I know you are a man of taste," cried he, "and shall be wonderfully happy to have your advice on the plan of a new building which I intend shall be something very extraordinary. Here it is," ing up a small model;

continued he, hold"here, you see, I

have contrived to unite all the orders of architecture in regular gradation; here, you will please to observe that the basis is truly Gothick; above that, observe the Tuscan; above that, the Composite, the Corinthian, the Dorick, the Ionick-all placed as they never were placed before! Still, however, the top is unfinished; for that I have had many plans; but that which pleases me best, is, the idea of crowning the whole with a Chinese temple; is it not a good thought, eh? Perhaps this gentleman, could furnish me with a hint. Pray Sir," turning to me, "has the Emperor of China done any thing new in this way of late?" The philosopher, perceiving my confusion, reminded this noble builder that I was from Bengal and had never been in China in my life. "From Bengal? Ay, ay, I had forgot; a Hindoo is he? well, well, perhaps, then, he could give me a plan of a Mosque, a Minaret, or some such thing, it would oblige me extremely, as it would be something quite new and uncommon," Perceiving that he waited my

answer, I told him, that I certainly had had many opportunities of seeing Mosques, some of the most stately of which were built from the ruins of our ancient temples, particularly that at Benares, the Minarets of which were esteemed eminently beautiful; but that as I had never been in one, I was altogether unqualified to give an accurate description of them. "Did not trouble church much, I suppose, Sir?" rejoined he, with an arch smile. "Good heaven!" cried Severan, "do you not know, that a Mosque is a Mahomedan place of worship, and have I not already told you that this gentleman is a Hindoo ?"—" Ay, ay, I had forgot, he is a heathen. So much the better; I shall love him, if he hates all priests and priest-ridden fools; I never knew any good come of either." So saying he offered me his hand, and shook mine in a most cordial manner. He then renewed his solicitations for the opinion of Severan, in regard to the manner in which

he should finish his projected building* (a building for which he had not yet fixed upon a situation;) the philosopher eluded any fur ther dissertations on the subject with great dexterity, and finally prevailed upon him to introduce us to the apartment of his Lady.

We found Lady Ardent and her eldest daughter in the apartment called the drawing-room. They were prepared to go out, and had their carriage waiting for them at the door; but on our entrance politely resumed their seats. The countenance of neither of these ladies exhibited one single line that could lead to the development of their characters; all was placid uniformity and unspeaking regularity of feature. Surely, said I to myself, these women must have arrived at the very zenith of perfec

*Explanations of the terms of Architecture, &c. though very necessary to the friends of the Rajah, it was thought, would be rather tiresome to the English reader; they are therefore omitted by the Translator, who has frequently been obliged to take liberties of the same nature.

tion! How effectually must every passion have been subdued under the glorious empire of reason, before they could have attained such inexpressive indifference? It is true, that in their eyes, the sparkling chubdar* of intellect doth not proclaim his master's presence-but the apathy which sits upon their foreheads speaks in plain language their contempt of the world and its vanities. With them, as with the beloved of Krishna, pain and pleasure are as one! The modesty of female bashfulness sealed the lips of the young lady, but her mother inquired after my friend Grey, if not with affection, at least with much politeness. She treated me (as I was told by Doctor Severan) with an uncommon degree of attention. She gave me a slip of stiff paper, on which was marked the 10th day of the next month, which, I was informed by my friend, was an invitation to a

*The servant whose business it is to proclaim the titles of any great personage.