friendship has departed, and love"----He broke off; nor could I guess

whether the disdain that curled his lip was directed against the passion,

or against himself for being its slave.

This account may be taken as a sample of my intercourse with Lord Raymond.

I became intimate with him, and each day afforded me occasion to admire

more and more his powerful and versatile talents, that together with his

eloquence, which was graceful and witty, and his wealth now immense, caused

him to be feared, loved, and hated beyond any other man in England.

My descent, which claimed interest, if not respect, my former connection

with Adrian, the favour of the ambassador, whose secretary I had been, and

now my intimacy with Lord Raymond, gave me easy access to the fashionable

and political circles of England. To my inexperience we at first appeared

on the eve of a civil war; each party was violent, acrimonious, and

unyielding. Parliament was divided by three factions, aristocrats,

democrats, and royalists. After Adrian's declared predeliction to the

republican form of government, the latter party had nearly died away,

chiefless, guideless; but, when Lord Raymond came forward as its leader, it

revived with redoubled force. Some were royalists from prejudice and

ancient affection, and there were many moderately inclined who feared alike

the capricious tyranny of the popular party, and the unbending despotism of

the aristocrats. More than a third of the members ranged themselves under

Raymond, and their number was perpetually encreasing. The aristocrats built

their hopes on their preponderant wealth and influence; the reformers on

the force of the nation itself; the debates were violent, more violent the

The Last Man