“Here it is!” said Helen, who had managed to get it ready while they were talking. She gave it to the general, who thanked her, and was off directly. Cecilia then came to divert herself with looking at Beauclerc’s scribbled plan, and she read the notes aloud for her mother’s amusement. It was a sketch of a dramatical, metaphysical, entertainment, of which half a dozen proposed titles had been scratched out, and there was finally left ‘Tarquin the Optimist, or the Temple of Destiny.’ It was from an old story begun by Laurentius Valla, and continued by Leibnitz;--she read, _“Act I. Scene 1. Sextus Tarquin goes to consult the Oracle, who foretells the crime he is to commit.’_ “And then,” cried Lady Cecilia, “come measures of old and new front of Old Forest house, wings included.”--Now he goes on with his play. _“‘Tarquin’s complaint to Jupiter of the Oracle--Modern Predestination compared to Ancient Destiny.’_ “And here,” continued Cecilia, “come prices of Norway deal and a great blot, and then we have _‘Jupiter’s answer that Sextus may avoid his doom if he pleases, by staying away from Rome; but he does not please to do so, because he must then_ _renounce the crown. Good speech here on vanity, and inconsistency of human wishes.’_ “‘Kitchen 23 ft. by 21. Query with hobs?’ “I cannot conceive, my dear Helen,” continued Lady Cecilia, “how you could make the drawing out through all this,” and she continued to read. _“‘Scene 3rd._ _“‘High Priest of Delphi asks Jupiter why he did not give Sextus a better WILL?--why not MAKE him choose to give up the crown, rather than commit the crime? Jupiter refuses to answer, and sends the High Priest to consult Minerva at Athens.’_ “‘N.B. Old woman at Old Forest, promised her an oven,’--‘_Leibnitz gives_----’ “Oh! if he goes to Leibnitz,” said Lady Cecilia, “he will be too grand for me, but it will do for you, mamma.” _“‘Leibnitz gives in his Temple of the Destinies a representation of every possible universe from the worst to the best--This could not be done on the stage.’_ “Very true indeed,” said Lady Cecilia; “but, Helen, listen, Granville has really found an ingenious resource.” _“‘By Ombres Chinoises, suppose; or a gauze curtain, as in Zemire et Azore, the audience might be made to understand the main point, that GOOD resulted from Tarquin’s BAD choice. Brutus, Liberty, Rome’s grandeur, and the Optimist right at last. Q.E.D.’_ “Well, well,” continued Lady Cecilia, “I don’t understand it; but I understand this,--‘Bricks wanting.’” Lady Davenant smiled at this curious specimen of Beauclerc’s versatility, but said, “I fear he will fritter away his powers on a hundred different petty objects, and do nothing at last worthy of his abilities. He will scatter and divide the light of his genius, and show us every change of the prismatic colours--curious and beautiful to behold, but dispersing, wasting the light he should concentrate on some one, some noble object.”