him silent in no time, and he must have found his former disciples at home a source of some embarrassment. It's just the same now. Irresponsible persons at home talk on with aggressive ignorance on the remorseful side, speaking of “the teeming masses of swarthy fellow-subjects," "mild Hindoos," "intelligent highlanders," "sturdy yeomen, "hardy and frugal peasants," "dissipated young nobles," "accomplished native ladies," &c., &c., as if they were all living together, and going to church every Sunday.

ALLEN. - Talking of church, by the by, do you think there is any progress being made in converting the natives to Christianity?

MR R. R.Very little. Figures may show that there is; but then I could show by figures that the whole of England was going over to Rome. If we all

led lives in accordance with the doctrines we profess to follow, I have no doubt that we should proselytise at a wonderful rate; but as we don't, and as the natives are in their own way infinitely more consistent, they say "You none of you practise what you preach except a few missionaries, who do not seem any the more comfortable in consequence; and therefore, although the temptation to drink brandy is certainly considerable, we prefer to remain as we are.'

From the various observations Mr Ratcliff had made, I felt some curiosity to hear his political views on home and general subjects; for it occurred to me that with all his indignation against home politicians meddling with Indian affairs, he himself, though he had been chiefly schooled in India, might yet hold very decided opinions as to purely English questions of policy. I

therefore sounded him once or twice, but could not at all catch in his answers any of those familiar phrases which at once reveal the party enthusiast. I therefore asked

him plainly one day "whether he was a Whig or a Tory?"

To which he replied "that he was neither one nor the other; but belonged to a party then existing only in the 'future -namely, The Party of Common-sense."

"There is no question," said Mr Ratcliff, no question in the world, that cannot or should not be decided by common - sense; and those statesmen who possess and display the largest share of that quality, nearly always obtain a proportionate amount of honour and applause in their careers.'

"Then I hope to see you stand for Parliament yourself," said I, "on the principles of Common-sense and No Party."

Whenever I do stand," said Mr Ratcliff, "I shall take particular care not to be so foolish."

When Mr Ratcliff and I reached Brindisi, we continued our homeward journey together as far as Turin, and there separated, having each formed a friendship that proved to be sincere. I hastened on at once to Paris and Calais, and thence, in due course, arrived again in my native country.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE letter I had last received from my father was undated, and contained no clue as to the exact place from which it had been written. I saw, however, that the envelope bore the postmark of the City, a fact which I considered ominous of evil. Under these circumstances, therefore, I decided to go home in the first instance; and then if I failed to find my father there, or to ascertain precisely what had befallen him, I meant to see Helena Chobham-for I knew where she was to be found and hear the bad news from