pavement, and ever and anon turning his eyes sidelong down over the railing, upon the kitchen areas beneath, repeating, at the same time, in a kind of soft and somewhat soothing note "Pots below, maids-pots below, maids." Immediately after breakfast, I sallied forth, like the Knight of La Mancha, in quest of adventures; but had only advanced to the corner of the first street, and was hesitating which way to proceed, when two or three little suspicious-looking urchins at once surrounded me, and holding each up to my very throat a kind of chevaux-de-frise of knifeblades, cork-screws, lancets, and steel-pikes, accompanied this demonstration, which was any thing but agreeable, with a Dutch concert of discords, of which "only a shilling only a shilling," seemed to form the chorus-Having made my way at last into Fleet-street, I was not a little astonished at the crowd of passengers, which in two distinct currents, set on in both directions, and in the most orderly and peaceable manner imaginable. I immediately plunged into the current, and ere I had advanced two paces, had my right hand completely filled with hand-bills, which promised me a re storation to health, whatever might be the suspicious nature or inveteracy of my disease. I was immediately preceded by a boy, who carried a loaf under his arm; and, as my dress was new, I allowed him to keep in advance, though he continued to walk somewhat more slowly then I was inclined to. We had not proceeded far, when all of a sudden, and with the rapidity of thought, I discovered the Loaf making a retrogade curve over my head, and descending into a pair of ragged and outstretched arms, which, at the sudden pronunciation of the watch-word "'T'om," were prepared, as I observed, to receive it. I need scarcely add, that all efforts to overtake or secure the culprits were unavailing. As I advanced upon Temple Bar, I found a group of newspaper-venders surrounding the Courier Office, and vociferating upon me with great eagerness, as I advanced- Buy a paper, buy a papergreat news, great news, from Naples, Sir."-My resolution, even previous to this inviting address, had been

VOL. X.

taken, so pocketing what I believed to be a copy of the Courier, I prepared to navigate my way into the "Cock" Coffee-house, to which I had been recommended by a clergyman who had accompanied me from Durham in the coach. I could see, however, upon glancing over my shoulder, that the "paper boys' were merry, squinting from time to time towards me with a kind of knowing whisper, which I did not half relish. But as I was a "Stranger in London," I was inclined to set this down to something of that character, which, in spite of all my tailor's efforts, still adhered to me. I entered a small and snug apartment, surrounded, like an armoury, with rows of clear and burnished tankards, suspended by the ear-and believing this to be the "Coffee-room," I proceeded forthwith to take possession of the only seat I could discover. Having thrust my hand into my pocket, in pursuit of my late purchase, I was resolved to be quite free and easy, till the waiter should arrive, to supply my porter demands. In a trice, a brisk little fellow, with a short well-brushed coat, brown cloth breeches, white stockings, and "Day and Martin" shoes, not only made his appearance, but rushed past, and, in his speed, almost upset me. Hey day! thought I, this is free and easy, in all conscience; but seeing it is the fashion here, I must just put up with it; and, in order to conceal my provincial rusticity," do as the folks do in London," whilst I remain amongst them. So I turned my tripod towards a confined fire-place, precisely in the corner of the little apartment, and spreading out my elbow, upon a small table very much stained, in a manner to shew I was under no constraint whatever, I took up the tongs, placed a foot upcn each cheek of the chimney, and pushed my stool in an oblique position backwards, and without any very nice calculation of the centre of gravity, so that, ere I could recover myself, stool, table, fire, fender, tongs, poker, live-coals, and all, were scatteraround me in one promiscuous confusion worse confounded. As I lay supine upon the floor, for carpet happily there was none, a large shaggy Newfoundland dog, which seemed

M

but just awakened from a forenoon's nap, perceiving my plight, and misconceiving in all probability the nature of it, advanced in the most unceremonious manner possible, extending the whole length and breadth of portentous eclipse over my face and shoulders. "Bless my soul!" exclaimed the astonished man of tankards, returning upon me the second time, and finding me in such an unexplicable attitude; "is it not you, Mr Hickenbottom? I thought,' continued he, to a gentleman who, in respect of an equal number of members, but in no other certainly resembled me-"I thought it was you, Master, and now I find it has been some rascally fellor, come hin behind my and, to hease us of a few harticles we have more use for yet; but he as taken the vrong pig by the hear, when he thinks to himpose upon onest Neptune there, and Jeremy Bentham --Get up, fellor !" continued the loquacious man of glasses and goblets," and contrive to make yourself scarce, else you may happen to fall hin with those who will make surer work of you, and without much ceremony too." Hereupon, however, Mr Hickenbottom interfered, by with drawing the growling tones and menacing fangs of dog Neptune, and by assisting me in resuming the use of my legs. "There is undoubtedly some mistake here, gentlemen," said I; "I only wanted a gill o' your gin, with water, for which I meant honestly to pay you; and I know not how, in a public coffee-room, I should be mistaken for an ill-doer, or a downright thief." Hereupon the matter was soon cleared up-I had mistaken the waiter's antichamber for the coffee-room, and he again, on his part, from the free and easy manner in which I had taken possession, never doubted but I was, in the person of his master and employer Hickenbottom, quite at home. It was a good jest, the good-natured landlord observed, and if I had no objection, we should laugh it over in an adjoining box, to the tune of "Barclay's entire." Being happy to fall in with any one who might instruct me how to avoid such unhappy mistakes in future, I readily closed with the offer; and whilst the porter was under discussion, took

the opportunity of our side or retired corner, to look around me, and to make such enquiries at mine Host as the place and the circumstances suggested. "And so," said I, drawing out, at the same time, my newly-purchased newspaper from my pocket, you term that tankard there a pot ?" to which having received a nod of assent, whereby my morning's "serenade" was sufficiently explained, I proceeded to unfold my Courier, as I imagined, yet wet as it was from the printing-press, with the view of ascertaining the Neapolitan intelligence, by which I had been allured into the purchase. But, instead of the comparatively limited, and unpretending pages of the Courier, I saw, extended in all the pride of paper margin and advertisement before me, not the Courier, but the Times, a paper which, from my Scottish education, I had been taught to regard as somewhat dangerous in its political bearings. "Bless me, said I to my landlord, who had just rung for a fresh supply of "the brown," "I purchased this paper for a Courier, and at the very door of the office too, and it has been metamorphosed into a Times! How has this come about, think ye?" "Oh!" replied my really intelligent informer, "that is not at all wonderful-nothing is more common; you ask, in a hurried manner, for a Courier, at a place where you suppose nothing but Couriers can be disposed of, and a sly urchin slips a Times into your fingers, pockets his 74d., and is commixed with the crowd in an instant." " Precisely!" said I; "that was the very way in which I was 'done."" "And so," said mine Host, pausing after a pretty long pull on the replenished "pot," (I shall never forget the appropriate name), "and so you read the Courier in preference to the Times and the Chronicle, do you?" "Why, to tell you the truth," returned I, my newspaper reading has been rather limited; but you surely do not mean to institute any comparison betwixt the sound constitutional views of the one, and the democratical, I had almost said radical principles of the other?" "Yes, but," rejoined my landlord, somewhat nettled, and as a proof of it, I have on my

"I do,

tables five copies of that paper which you have unintentionally purchased, and only one of the Courier; and that one I retain partly out of compliment to that 'old quiz' whom you observe smoking his pipe, and sip ping his glass of negus, in the further corner." Upon this I turned my eyes towards the figure pointed out, and through a volume of incense which gradually ascended to the roof, and settled over his head like a blue and silky canopy, I discovered a round squat figure with grey hairs, and a kind of "Dirk Hatterick" aspect, something betwixt hardy enterprize and determined roguery. "This man,” continued “mine Host," in an under tone of communication, " has made his fortune by cheating-and is now endeavouring to establish his character as an honest man, by be praising the King. Having had an appointment in the naval department, he managed matters so, that his dis missal became absolutely necessary, not only to the interests of the board, but to the forwarding of his own deep-laid and nefarious schemes. He has retired beyond the reach of prosecution, and within the entrench ments of the Inns of Court; and vapours away in this place, each day, from one to four, on the integrity of the present ministry, and the beauty and permanency of the British constitution. That large overgrown figure, who is just now swallowing the last morsel of his mutton chop, is a tallow-chandler in Cheapside. He has lately married, or, to speak more properly, been married to a young wife, an admiral's pennyless daughter, whom he leaves to amuse herself with ponds, parrots, and flower-pots, in his splendid country mansion, whilst he repairs, every day, in his own carriage, to the city, where he is to be found any hour, (except one), betwixt ten and five, with a large striped apron tied round his immense paunch, disposing of 'his grease' by the pound to all and sundry, who may be prevailed upon to become purchasers. Look into his country box-you may observe it near by a jet d'eau,' no larger than a weeping willow, on your road to Edmonton and you will conceive him to be the very essence of refinement and pink of sentiment;

but visit him in his warehouse, where he will be fully as happy to see you, and you will find his refinement confined to that of tallow, and his sentiment to the smell and exhalation thereof." "In Scotland," observed I, "such an incongruous combination could never take place."-" In Scotland," rejoined my informer, "you know nothing at all about the matter; you put on one coat at Christmas, and it serves you without alteration or change till the return of that season; you assume your rank in society, and by that, as by an immutable allotment of Providence, you abide once a plebeian, and always a plebeian-once a gentleman, and always a gentleman. Now this method is extremely preposterous, and subjects you, from the want of pliability and accommodation to many inconveniences, and much awkward adjustment. But in London, nothing is more common than that the same individual shall, during the course of a single day, exhibit a variety of distinct, and even quite opposite rank and character. View this same rotund personage at his breakfast-table, surrounded with footmen, and palavered by sim pering ladyhood, with his gun-powder tea, and buttered toast; and you cannot fail to see the country Squire' peeping through all the easy frankness of his demeanour; observe him attached to his fine greys, and under the management of a livery servant, making his way up to town→→→ and the Citizen' begins to become apparent; ask him, in his shop, for a pound of candles, and he will even wipe the scale for you in which they are weighed, and with a polite bow over the counter, thank you for your custom; here the Shopkeeper' has acquired a decided predominancy. And were you at this very instant that he is ringing the bell to settle his chop, to accost him either under the altitude of his matrimonial, or under the humility of his professional character, it is ten to one but he would conceive himself insulted. He is now plain honest Williams,' who pays his taxes, rails at the government, and owes no man a farthing!

6

"In that concealed box, a little to the left, there are at this moment two Reporters for the great rival papers, making up their points of dis

Pa

agreement for the evening press, in the most amicable manner imaginable. These fellows have hard work of it just now; but they eat and drink well-sleep when they can-and have a rare splore once a-week.Though one of them is bound to put on a most outrageously Tory countenance, we all know him to be a true genuine Whig at the heart, after all. "That there figure with the snuff box in his hand, and the cane head in his mouth, is a Bookseller's flunky, or, in other words, an Author,' not from choice, but from necessity, having failed in an attempt to render himself publicly known, by a work of great labour and research, which, in this age of 'Quid-nunc-ism' and 'tact,' fell still-born from the press. His subsistence, such as it is, he now earns by translating foreign books, by writing occasional articles for the London Magazine, and by undertaking all the drudgery of correcting sheet after sheet for the press. But here comes one of his Employers, or, as they are termed, trons,' a celebrated bookseller in 'the Row.' Hereupon I observed a smooth little round man, somewhat like a pound of butter set upon end, glistening in oil, and ornamented with a green shade, or cabbage leaf, which came so far down as to eclipse not only his eyes, but a full half of his countenance. No sooner had this man of books and shelves made his debût, than poor "Suck-cane" made his exit, evidently anxious to escape the irradiation of so splendid a luminary. "And is it possible," thought I -for my friend, in consequence of a call to the bar, had just left me—" is it possible that men of education and talent can, in this learned and literary Metropolis, become the slaves and drudges of mere Booksellers-that the mind which actuates, and the soul which excites and energizes, can be regulated in its movements, and cramp ed in its efforts, by mere machinery -that the body of literature should thus lord it over the spirit, and the 'certamen quod est animo cum hacgravi carne,' should be at once so severe, protracted, and degrading? I sat some time musing upon this melancholy subject, in expectation of mine Host's return; but return he did not; business had suddenly laid its

claws upon him, and in his situation in society, nobody thinks of resisting such claims; so I was left to finish my steak and my porter by myself. I had not remained, however, long, when my companion's place was supplied by another individual, with whom, as I had no inclination, for the present, to commence an acquaintanceship, I quietly pocketed my newspaper, rung the bell, found all, by my landlord, already settled, and was actually upon my legs to depart,

when the lately- arrived stranger suddenly addressed me, in somewhat of an embarrassed tone" I, I beg your pardon, Sir, but you will excuse me, if I request a reading of that paper you have just now put into your pocket, Sir. We do not usually carry the papers along with us from this place, Sir!". Seeing at once the source of his error, I proceeded to explain the circumstance to him, upon which he seemed perfectly satisfied, asked my pardon again and again-and suggested, if I was not otherwise engaged, that he would be glad to have a little more of my company. It seemed strange to me, that every one I met with seemed so desirous of my conversation-but this I found afterwards to be a peculiar and most prepossessing feature of the London, I may add, of the English character. They enter at once into an acquaintance, and conduct themselves towards a stranger with all the ease, and even confidence, of old and established intercourse. In this instance, however, I found it convenient to decline the invitation, and once more placed myself amongst my quizzical friends, who had formerly supplied me, to their own mind, with a newspaper. Having no more purchases to make, I passed along, mixing with that continuous and unebbing stream of humanity, which, like the waters at the Straits of Gibraltar, is ever setting in and out, through Temple Bar. As I was employing myself in idling away the time most agreeably, at a caricature-shop window, a face passed me, and an eye met mine, which I felt to be associated with times and circumstances not quite forgotten. Yet I had no distinct recollection of the individual to whom these belonged, but stood looking

after him, till I saw him go down an entry immediately opposite that from which I had so lately emerged. I tried to walk in the opposite direction, endeavouring, all the while, to recal a distinct impression of the face; but the more eagerly I pursued every link and association, by which the object might be individualized, the more deeply was I involved in uncertainty, and the greater was my curiosity to ascertain the truth; so, turning almost insensibly on my course, I gradually drifted to the very entry at which I had seen the mysterious countenance disappear. I entered, having previously resolved on a two-o'clock beef-steak dinner, and hoping, likewise, to be at my wits' end respecting the object of my pursuit. I was not acquainted with a single individual in London, with the solitary exception, if such it might be regarded, of my kind and hospitable landlord at "the Cock;" and I was every hour more anxious to meet with some one more experienced than myself in the ways and the tricks of this "great City," by whose advice I might contrive to navigate myself clear of misapprehension and imposition. I started back, however, under some degree of alarm, upon observing, as if through an inverted telescope, a dim light, struggling, from a distance, through a lengthened avenue of darkness, up which it behoved me to advance. However, following closely at the heels of one who had just passed me, I was at last conducted to an abode of a very suspicious appearance. Into this retreat the light of day had never, seemingly, been known to penetrate. It was lighted by a large patent lamp, hung from the centre of the ceiling, and shining like the sun in a November mist, through a complete envelopement of smoke, emitted and emitting from mouths innumerable. The whole contour of this place was truly terrific every inanimate object wore a sombre aspect-the walls were blackened the seats were disfigured with cutting, like the benches in a school-house-and the tables were without table-cloths, groaning under immense pewter trenchers, which were sunk into the wood, whilst the knives and forks were cautiously

chained to rests on each side of the several plates, on which, as satellites, it was their duty to attend. Over the chimney, written in legible characters, was displayed the price of every variety of drinkable or eatable, which the place afforded, accompanied with this admonitory remark

It

"PAID WHEN TABLED." Spit-boxes stood in every corner; and a large shaggy nondescript dog seemed to move about, quite at home, presenting his head to be patted, and his sides to be stroked by the various customers who condescended to notice him. Gin and brandy seemed here to have usurped the place of port and porter; and an expression of sulky impatience, and dusky malignity, seemed to predominate amongst the visages which gleamed and glared around. was some time before I found an empty seat, and still longer whilst I remained in suspense, whether or not I should take possession of it; and I was still hesitating, when the same countenance, which had excited my curiosity before, again, from a position immediately opposite, arrested my attention. In a word, for I am becoming tedious by being minute, I was at last recognized by this stranger as an old school-acquaintance, and found in him, after a varied succession of rather untoward fortune, the Captain, or Skipper, of a coasting-vessel, engaged in the coal trade. There is no school, Mr Editor, like the world; "it kittles wit, it waukens lair," or, what is still better, "supplies it," and "pangs us fu' o' knowledge." This young man, who had made but a sorry figure in his class, and ranked as a kind of simpleton amongst his playmates, had now acquired a promptitude of decision, an ease of manner, and a sagacity in respect of worldly matters, which altogether astonished me. He was glad, he was truly glad to see me; and even with all the deductions of a somewhat particular dress, and an acquaintance ship in no way prepossessing, I still was de

I have heard that dogs of this description are sometimes kept in low Coffeehouses, for the purpose of cleaning knives and forks upon their shaggy hides; but this I never saw, and believe to be fiction.