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ROMANCE AND REALITY.
203

abstract view will be of its medicinal properties; the poet will dwell upon its beauty, and associate it with the ideas of love and summer, or catch somewhat of melancholy from its futurity of fading—no fear of want of variety. But in what book had you taken refuge from Mr. Lushington?"

Edward Lorraine.—"in a favourite—the second part of Vivian Grey. I think it one of the most singular I have read. Its chief characteristic is the most uncurbed imagination. But his humour is grotesque caricature, and his satire personality; he strikes me as being naturally ill-natured; and circumstances have thrown in his way people and things, which he seems to think it a pity to lose, but which it is against the bent of his talents to use; he should have been born a German. What a fine and most original novel might be written which took for its matériel the mystics and metaphysics of our neighbours, wrought up with a tone of the supernatural, yet bringing all to bear on our actual and passing existence!"

Mr. Morland.—"Yes, but Mr. D'Israeli must be banished first. I should say he is one whose