Eccentric Portrait

He had fine taste for music, and had been taught to play the pianoforte by Mozart.

On certain nights some strange fancy would seize him that it was necessary he should give a party, and he accordingly invited many of the distinguished persons with whom he had been intimate in former days, though some of them were already dead.

He was a worshipper of female beauty, his admiration being poured forth in ardent verse. Solemn silence, as the consequence of mock fear, immediately succeeded.

Fighting was, however, all over, and the young Cornet turned at once to racing and gaming, in which he was a serious loser. He was also a connoisseur in snuff, and one of his rooms was fitted up with shelves and beautiful jars for various kinds of snuff, with the names in gold. It was with difficulty that the Minister and his company could preserve a proper gravity for the occasion.

This fatuous individual, not having found much success in the way of ordinary courtship, could think of no better expedient to gain his ends than to present himself in the widow's bedchamber after she had retired to rest, when, having woke the lady, he proceeded to press his suit.