Webberly, who had exhausted all the tender speeches he had conned for that morning, was standing near her in total silence: "His eye, in a fine stupor caught, Implied a plenteous lack of thought; And not one line his whole face seen in, That could be justly charg'd with meaning." Notwithstanding he was so much displeased at Colonel Desmond's thus engrossing the object of his _speechless_ passion, that, unable to bear the odious sight of his rival, he repaired to another part of the boat, to listen to some young Irishmen, who were canvassing the conduct of ministry with more warmth than wisdom. Colonel Desmond and Adelaide rapidly passed from one subject to another: in the course of their conversation he abruptly asked her what she thought of young Donolan? She blushed deeply, and he saw her meek brow bend to chide the arch smile that seemed to bid her lips pronounce words partaking of its own nature.--"Come, come," said he, as she hesitated to reply, "out with it Adel--Miss Wildenheim I mean: you were not always so prudent, but used to trust the friend of your infancy with the first thoughts that rose in your mind, without considering and reconsidering them; I am afraid your residence in England has made you very reserved." "Indeed you mistake me, Colonel Desmond," she replied: "the fact is, I am almost as much ashamed to acknowledge any inclination to satire to myself as to you. If I were once to give way to that propensity, I have so many provocatives to indulge it in my present companions, I should never afterwards get rid of the habit; and no heart or understanding can long withstand the destroying powers of a love of ridicule. If you would permit me to parody Shakspeare, I would say that the spirit of personal satire 'Is indeed twice curs'd:' it often abashes the modesty of worth, and paralyses the energy of genius; but oh! how surely does it, with tenfold sterility, blast every generous feeling in the mind it inhabits--first destroying integrity, for no retailer of bon-mots and ludicrous narrations will long respect the rigid exactitude of truth; then the feelings of benevolence fall its sacrifice; and finally, it perverts the understanding, which, having exercised itself more willingly in detecting absurdity than in discovering truth, soon becomes incapable of relishing any serious reflection; and thus this fatal talent, like the flame which dazzles our eyes by its vivid lustre, ends by consuming the substance from which it derived its brilliancy."