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Her son, Mr Henry Gowan, inheriting from his father, the Commissioner, that

very questionable help in life, a very small independence, had been

difficult to settle; the rather, as public appoint his earlier ricultural character which applies itself to the

cultivation of wild oats At last he had declared that he would become

a Painter; partly because he had always had an idle knack that way,

and partly to grieve the souls of the Barnacles-in-chief who had not

provided for him

So it had couished ladies had been frightfully shocked; then, that

portfolios of his perforhts, and

declared with ecstasy to be perfect Claudes, perfect Cuyps, perfect

phaenoht his picture, and had

asked the President and Council to dinner at a blow, and had said, with

his own ravity, 'Do you know, there appears to me to

be really immense merit in that work?' and, in short, that people of

condition had absolutely taken pains to bring him into fashion But,

somehow, it had all failed The prejudiced public had stood out against

it obstinately They had determined not to admire Lord Decimus's