He had always been bland in society, but now his courtesy breathed less of artifice,--it took a more hearty tone.

Another alteration was discernible in him, and that was precisely the reverse of what might have been expected.

He became more thrifty, more attentive to the expenses of life than he had been.

Though a despiser of show and ostentation, and far too hard to be luxurious, he was too scientific an architect of the weaknesses of others not to have maintained during his public career an opulent appearance and a hospitable table.

The profession he had adopted requires, perhaps, less of externals to aid it than any other; still Brandon had affected to preserve parliamentary as well as legal importance; and though his house was situated in a quarter entirely professional, he had been accustomed to assemble around his hospitable board all who were eminent, in his political party, for rank or for talent.