de privation of which in dis circumscribed dwelling, I create a substitute; I take a cat, I shut it up in a dark closet, widout food, till it become wild; I den give de creature liberty, and set my dog, dis noble bull-dog here, loose upon it; rendered de more ferocious from abstinence, it tirsts for its prey; dey have togeder a rare battle! de cat, wit flaming eyes, springing, clinging, leaping to de walls, even to de ceiling; till, exhausted by her unnatural efforts, she falls nearly into de jaws of de dog; again she gaders strength, but, closely pursued by her enemy, falls at last, his easy victim. Somebody entering my apartment during de height of dis my entertainment, de cat, profiting by de moment, took her flight, and was pursued, it appears, even to your chamber; encore je demande mille graces for having caused alarm to yourself or de children;" saying which, and politely bowing, he descended to his own apartment, leaving upon the mind of De Brooke lasting impressions against him of contempt and disgust.
The event in itself, however revolting, would from its insignificance, his children having been in no ways affected than by a temporary fright, have been speedily obliterated, had it not been connected with another of the utmost and last importance, bearing with it in its train and superin-
