'There is likely to be a change in affairs then, my lord?' said I, smiling in rapturous sympathy as I spoke--'There is.'--'Mr. *** has been with your lordship several times, I think?'--'Yes, yes; I am courted by all parties, at present'--'Indeed, my lord! Then Themistocles has become formidable?'--'Yes, yes! I have made them feel me!'--'I am glad that I have been instrumental.'--'Certainly, Mr. Trevor; certainly. An architect cannot build palaces with his own hands. But we will not talk of that: we must complete the work we have begun'--'And publish our fourth letter?'--'By no means, Mr. Trevor! that would ruin all!' For a moment I was speechless! At last I ejaculated--'My lord!'--'Things at present wear a very different face! we must now write on the other side. You seem surprised?' Well might he say so! I was thunderstruck! 'But I will tell you a secret. The minister and I are friends! I send four members into the house; and if government had not expended five times the sum that it cost me, to carry their elections, I should have sent three more. I have attacked the minister in the house by my votes; I have attacked him in the papers by my writings: so, finding I wielded my two edged sword with such resolution and activity, he has thought proper to beat a parley. He acknowledges that the fifty thousand pounds the election contest cost me were expended in support of our excellent constitution, and that I ought to be rewarded for my patriotism. His offers are liberal, and peace is concluded. We must now vere about, and this was the business for which I wanted you. A good casuist you know, Mr. Trevor, can defend both sides of a question; and I have no doubt but that you will appear with as much brilliancy, as a panegyrist, as you have done, as a satirist.' How long I remained in that state of painful stupefaction into which I had been thrown, at the very commencement of this harangue, is more than I can say: but, as soon as I could recover some little presence of mind, I replied--'You, my lord, no doubt have your own reasons; which, to you, are a justification of your own conduct. For my part, when I wrote against the minister, it was not against the man. A desire to abash vice, advance the virtuous, and promote the good of mankind, were my motives!'--'Mr. Trevor, I find you are a young man: you do not know the world'--The scene with the bishop was acting over again, and I felt myself bursting once more with indignation. With ineffable contempt in every feature of my face, I answered--'If a knowledge of the world consists in servility, selfishness, and the practice of deceit, I hope I never shall know it.'--'You strangely forget yourself, Mr. Trevor!'--'I am not of that opinion, my lord. I rather think, it was the man who could suppose me capable of holding the pen of prostitution that strangely forgot himself!'