Fortune, who makes a lottery of life, has seldom exhibited greater waywardness than in the personage whose portrait next appears. He was an Irishman, of little or no hereditary property, but well educated, handsome in his person, and agreeable in his manners. He was, it is believed, called to the bar, but whether he ever practised is uncertain, and of no consequence. The place of his practice, when known to the Sexagenarian, was certainly not at the bar. He came over to this country, it may be said, without any intended reflection, to seek his fortune. In his progress, he caught the contagion of play, but at that period, in all probability, his stake could not be high, nor the risk which he encountered great. It was the pernicious principle and habit which was to be reprobated. Most fortunately, for so the result might eventually have proved, he met a young lady at a fashionable watering-place, who attracted his immediate and serious attention. And well she might, for the sun of Britain has hardly ever shone upon a lovelier object. Most agreeable in her person, most captivating in her manners, of an intellect very far superior to the generality of her sex, with a high principle of honour, warm-hearted, generous, every thing indeed for which man could wish. Add to all this, a circumstance probably neither undesireable, nor entirely overlooked by our gentleman, she had a very large fortune, and was entirely at her own disposal. He succeeded in his addresses. The lady treated him with a generous candour; and although not unacquainted with his characteristic foible, believed in his solemn protestations of laying aside for ever the dangerous propensities he had encouraged; and not improbably also trusted, as well she might, in her powers of enabling him to find the “Bathmendi[3],” of which he was in search, at home, in the reciprocation of connubial confidence and love. Things went on very smoothly for a considerable time. The lady’s good sense, discretion, and engaging behaviour, appeared to have obtained a memorable triumph. Old acquaintances were revived, and cordially welcomed—new ones formed—the sweet ties of children promised to cement and perpetuate the harmony of the establishment;—when suddenly a sort of restlessness appeared on the part of the gentleman, and his absence from home, and particularly in the evening, became more and more frequent. It is in no circumstances whatever, an easy matter, to elude the vigilant and anxious eyes of a mother and a wife; and the lady of whom we are speaking, was remarkably acute, discerning, and sagacious. She evidently perceived that he had betaken himself to his old haunts, and former companions. Remonstrance she knew to be ineffectual, and she formed her plan accordingly; which, though it could not be unattended with severe mortification, she persisted in with firmness.