We would not, however, have our readers imagine that Lord Spoonbill was quite such a ninny as to make it the subject of deliberate consultation and express enquiry, to learn what he ought to do on the present occasion; he merely meant to make a call upon his friend, and he was prompted to make that call by the circumstances in which he was then placed with regard to Penelope Primrose. His object was to talk the matter over, and he certainly could not have selected a properer person to take part in such conversation. The two friends had not met for some time; the interview was agreeable therefore to both parties; for they had a great mutual respect for each other: Lord Spoonbill admired Mr Erpingham's talents, and Mr Erpingham had a high respect for Lord Spoonbill's title and high connexions. CHAPTER II. Lord Spoonbill was ushered into an apartment, the air of which was warm and fragrant: the warmth came from Newcastle, and the fragrancy from Bond street. At first entering the room his lordship saw not any one to whom his name could have been announced. The servant who had opened the door for him closed it immediately behind him, and he seemed to be in an empty apartment. By an instinct natural to an Englishman he advanced towards the fire-place, and there he presently saw on a sofa, the back of which was towards the door, his friend Erpingham reclining at full length, and having before him an open volume placed on a low table, which had been constructed and adapted for reading on a sofa. This was what Erpingham called "reading made easy." His lordship expressed by his looks some surprise that his friend should not rise from the sofa, and said, "Erpingham! are you unwell?" "Ah! Spoonbill, is it you? Excuse my not rising to receive you; but the fact is, I have been trying for the last hour and a half to get into an easy position, and I have but just accomplished it, and if I move now I shall not be able to recover the position, and you know how wretched that sensation is. Well, how are the old materials?" This last question referred to the health of the Earl and Countess of Smatterton; and it was a phrase which Erpingham had learned from Lord Spoonbill himself. To this question Lord Spoonbill made the regular response, and continued, "How is it, Erpingham, that I never have the pleasure of seeing you unless I ride over to you?" "Can't say," was the careless reply: "but," continued the Epicurean, "I am not partial to mixed company. Now your house in town is too multitudinous for me.--But my Clarissa tells me that the Countess of Smatterton is going to astonish the whole world by introducing a new first-rate voice." For explanation, it may be enough to inform the reader that Clarissa held the same place in Mr Erpingham's establishment as Lord Spoonbill wished Penelope to hold in his. His lordship therefore was not sorry that the subject should be thus introduced, and he replied: