VOL. 4.]

The Hermit in London, No. 2.

21

your barouche or curricle without being because, independent of my preference hustled by the men-milliners, linen-dra- for the Opera, these insects from Cheappers, and shop-boys, who have been side, and so on westward, shut up their serving you all the rest of the week. shops, cheat their masters, and font les Bad horsemen, and pedestrian women, importants about nine o'clock. The pareés a outrance, ultras in conceit and same party crowd the Park on Sunday; in dress, press upon you on every hand; but on black Monday return like schooland yet one cannot be at church all day, boys to their work, and you see them, nor make a prisoner of one's self because with the pen behind their ear, calculatit is Sunday. For my part, I am ennuié ing how to make up for their hebdomadal beyond measure on that day; and were extravagances, pestering you to buy it not for my harp, and a little scandal, twice as much as you want, and offithere would be no getting through it at ciously offering their arm at your ali." carriage door."

At this juncture Mr. Millefleurs came up to the carriage, perfumed like

The carriage now drew up to the door; and her Ladyship proposed that I should take a corner in it, and go a milliner, his colour much heightened down the Park just once with her and by some vegetable dye, and resolved her younger sister, merely, as she said, neither to 'blush unseen, nor to waste "to show her friends that she was in his sweetness on the desert air.' His

approach was very much like what I have heard of the Spice Islands. Two false teeth in front shamed the others a little in their ivory polish, and his breath savoured of myrrh like a heathen sacrifice, or the incense burned in one of their temples. He thrust his horse's head into the carriage (I thought a little abruptly and indecorously) but I per

town." "What legions of compter coxcombs!" exclaimed she, as we entered Grosvenor Gate; "the Tilbury and Dennet system is a great convenience to these people. Upon the plunder of the till, or by overcharging some particular article sold on the Saturday to a negligeant, who goes a shopping more for the purpose of meeting her favoured swain than for any thing which she ceived that it gave no offence. He wants to purchase, it is so easy for these smiled very affectedly, adjusted his hat, once-a-week beaux to hire a tilbury and pulled a lock of hair across his forehead, an awkward groom in a pepper-and-salt with a view of shewing, first, that he or drab coat, like the incog. of the Roy- had a white forehead, and, next, that al Family, and to sport their odious per- the glossiness of his hair must have sous in the drive of fashion. Some of owed its lustre to at least two hours' the monsters, too, bow to ladies whom brushing, arranged, perfuming, and they do not know, merely to give them unguenting. He now got his horse's an air, or pass off their customers for head still closer to us, dropped the their acquaintance." rein upon his neck, hung half in and

There!" continued she, "there half out of the carriage, with his whip goes my plumassier, with fixed spurs stuck under his arm, and violet in the like a field-officer, and riding as im- corner of his mouth, a kind of impudent portantly asif he were one of the Lords stare in his eyes, and a something half of the Treasury. There again is my too familiar, yet half courtly in his banker's clerk, so stiff and so laced up, manner. that he looks more like an Egyptian

،

"What a beautiful horse!" said mummy than a man. What impudence! Lady Mary. Yes,' replied Midehe has got some groom out of place, fleurs, he is one of the best bred with a cockade in his hat, by way of horses in Europe.' "I must confess imposing on the world for a beau mili- that I thought otherwise: nor did I taire. I have not common patience admire his being so near;" 'and,' conwith these creatures. I have long since tinued he, 'the best fencer in the left off going to the playon a Saturday, universe.' This accomplishment I Lad

29

Sketches of English Society.

[VOL. 4

myself excelled in; but I was ignorant his hand, and was out of sight in two of its becoming a part of equine educa- seconds. "A fine young man!" said tion. I urged him to explain, and her Ladyship. I bowed assent, and amused him at my expense very much, offered her some Eau de Cologne, which He, however, was polite enough to in- I had about me, as the well-bred, struct my ignorance; and informed me fencing horse had left an impression that he was a high couraged horse and, of stable smell on her taper fingers. one of the best leapers of fences that he Alas! thought I, this young rake has had ever seen. Lady Mary conde- left a deeper impression elsewhere. scended all this time to caress the horse, Lady Mary has a fine fortune, and I and to display her lovely arm ungloved, am sorry to see her thus dazzled by this with which she patted his neck, and compound of trinkets and of cosmetics, drew a hundred admiring eyes.

who, involved to a great degree, will in a short time squander a great part of her property. But Mr. Millefleurs is a complete merveilleur; and that is quite enough for my volatile friend.

The Exquisit all this time brushed the animal gently with a highly scented silk handkerchief, after which he displayed a cambrick one, and went through a thousand little minunderies Looking after him for half a minute, which would have suited an affected she perceived a group of women in the

very last Parisian fashions. "There," said she, "there is all that taffeta, feathers, flowers, and expensive lace can do ;

woman better than a Lieutenant in his Majesty's brigade of Guards. Although he talked a great deal, the whole amount of his discourse was, that he and yet you see by their loud talking, gave only seven hundred guineas for his and their mauvais ton, by their being horse; that his groom's horse had run unattended by a servant, and by the bit at the Craven; that he was monsterous lucky that season on the turf; that he was a very hold horseman himself; and, that being engaged to dine in three places that day, he did not know how the devil to manage; but that if Lady Mary dined at any one of the three, he would cut the other two.

of straw adhering to that one's petticoat, that they have come all the way from Fleet Street or Ludgate Hillin a hackney coach, and are now trying unsuccessfully to play women of fashion. See the awkward would be beau too in a coat on for the first time, and boots which have never crossed a horse."

At this moment a mad-brained Ruffian Mrs. Marvellous now drew up close of quality flew by, driving four-in- to us. "My dear Lady Mary," said she, hand, and exclaimed, in a cracked but "I am suffocated with dust, and am affected tone, "Where have you hid sickened with vulgarity; but, to be sure, yourself of late, Charles?" I have been we have every thing in London here, one of His Majesty's prisoners in the from the House of Peers to Waterloo Tower,' said Millefleurs-meaning that House and the inhabitants of the catchhe had been on duty there; and, turn- penny cheap shops all over the town. I

must tell you about the trial, and about Lady Barbara's mortification, and about poor Mrs. O-'s beir arrested, and the midnight flight to the ontinent of our poor Dandy --, wao arrived in an open boat-our borough memberruin

ing to Lady Mary, in a half whisper, he observed, Although you see him in such good form, though his cattle and his equipage are so well appointed, he - got out of the Bench only last week, having thrown over the vagabonds his creditors: he is a noble spirited fellow, ed, his wife exposed, strong suspicions as good a whip as any in Britain, full of about the children-young Willoughby life and of humour, and I am happy to called out, thought slack, pretended that say that he has now a dozen of as fine he could not get a second, Lavender horses as any in Christendom, kept bien upon the ground, all a hoax!"

entendu, in my name but there is a wheel within a wheel,'

He now dropped the violet, kissed

Here she lacerated the reputation of almost all her acquaintance, to which I perceived the serving-men attached to

VOL. 4.]

Sketches of London Society.

23

both carriages most particularly attentive. wall, and heard the scandal of the livWhen she drove off, I observed to Lady eried tribe. "How does your coat fit Mary, that I thought people of quality you, Sir Jerry?" cried one footman to were not sufficiently cautious of speak- another : "You'll only have to try it ing before their servants, and that they on: I once lived with your mistress, owed to themselves and to polite socie- who was determined that I should not ty more care in this particular: she gave eat the bread of idleness, for I never got a slight toss with her head, and said, a moment's amusement whilst I was in "Oh! they know nothingaboutamours her service: she sacks the card money; and high life, and can't understand our measures out her provisions like a nipconversation." I was, however, quite of cheese purser of a man of war; notes a different opinion, in which I was afterwards still more confirmed.

down every thing in her d-d account book; and if you can make a guinea besides your wages, I'll allow you to eat me roasted : but you'll not be long there, though the old man is a goodnatured fool enough, deaf and drunken,

Our Exquisite now came up to the carriage a second time, with some concert tickets, which he wished my fair friend to take; and he looked just as much as to say, "Thou art a happy dog, snuffy, but never out of temper." Much

old gentleman!" A telegraphic signal passed, and he said to me, "I just met Sir Peter Panemar, the nabob, and he swears that there is the most beautiful Spanish woman that everlooked through a veil, just gone into the garden. It is said, by the bye, that she is protected by a certain Peer; but I believe her to be a rich diamond merchant's wife: the

more was added; but this was quite enough for me. Another scoundrel insinuated something concerning a fellow servant of his, and one of high rank, which almost induced me to cane him.

At my return to the carriage, I deli cately hinted a part of what I had heard; but it had no effect: neither had the tearing of the lace flounce, nor the

whole Park is in a blaze about her." I want of principle of the young four-in

hand buck: all seemed to pass with her Ladyship as matters of course in high life. And yet she is virtuous, prudent, and well principled; but as Mrs. Marvellous calls it, she is far gone, and I am sorry for it.

am a great amateur, I confess. A lovely picture is worthy contemplating; and my designs go no further. I also sus pected that this was an adroit manœuvre to get rid of me for a time. I therefore requested permission to alight, for the purpose of looking into the garden. This Five o'clock now called us to dress, was cheerfully agreed to; and Lady and a third succession of company ar Mary promised to wait until I had rived, who all appeared to have dined, feasted my eyes on the fascinating in- and on whose cheeks sat the flush of cognita. The happy swain then offered punch and other strong liquors. to take my place until I returned; and these groups were children drawn by this arrangement seemed to please all dogs, or by their papas, in little chairs, three, Our Exquisite entangled his spur others in arms, fat landladies, tall strapin her Ladyship's falbela; but it did ping wives, and tame submi-sive husnot discompose her in the least., Irecom- bands-the emblems of domestic drill mended chevaux de frise in future, at and of petticoat subordination. Every which she laughed; her sister looked insect of fashion flew off on fancy's wing insipidly; and the step was let down at the appearance of le tiers elat. for me.

In

And now commenced the pleasure

Arrived in the gardens, I sought la and the labours of the toilette, which I bella senora in vain ; and am now un- leave my fair friend to indulge in, con certain whether I was hoaxed or not, vinced at the same time qu'elle aura des although our Exquisite most solemnly distractions. protested that the Nabob had seen ber. I sat down for a moment on the low

THE HERMIT IN LONDON, (Lit. Gaz. July 1818.

24

The Suicide.

[VOL. 4

SIR,

REFLECTIONS OF A YOUNG MAN IN PRISON.

PROMISED

From the London European Magazine.

I to send you some re- the general course of the dissipated flectious of the unhappy young man life that he had led, I represented to

in prison, upon his own review of the vicious course which he had pursued, and which had plunged him into ali the horrors of despondency, and driven him to the dreadful act of suicide.

I now transmit the following account of his last moments, during which he lingered between life and death.

I am, Sir, your's respectfully,

June 3, 1818.

L-shire.

him how unworthy of a rational being such a surrender of his better judgment and purer convictions must appear to him, when he reflected on the deceptious nature of those vicious gratifications which had led him to the brink of destruction, both of body and soul. I pointed out the fatal certainty with which ruin of character and remorse of

W. F. T. conscience the one irretrievable and the other overwhelming, were always found to follow in the footsteps of the rash votary of libertine indulgence ;--I brought him to acknowledge the sad truth, that too frequently such an one was left by the treachery of his passions

WHEN I entered the wretched youth's room, I was introduced to him by the worthy man who is the keeper of the prison, and whose character has been long revered by every one who knows without any possibility of making him, as possessing all those excellent amends to society for the outrages principles which render him an orna- which he had committed upon its prement to society, even in his unenviable scriptive laws and social rights; I disand, too often, misrepresented office. played to him the irremediable injury I confess myself to have felt a disposi- which he had inflicted upon his ill-retion to think but slightly of the human- quited parents;-I dwelt upon the ity of individuals in his station; but the misery, disgrace, and despondency, into many evidences of the tender con- which he had plunged a woman, who, sideration with which this person ap- whatever might have been the atrocity plied himself, in all cases of human of her acquiescence in his unprincimisery, to alleviate the sufferings of his pled view, certainly did not deserve to prisoners, have induced me to change be rendered for ever wretched by the my opinion, and acknowledge that all man who had been generously made the my prejudices against keepers of pris- participator of her husband's unsusons and jailors, have given way be- pecting confidence, and liberal co-opefore the generous conduct of this good ration to promote his personal advanceman; and I perceive that even those ment in commercial profit and imporwhose employment it is to guard the tance; -1 bade him reflect, that, notconscience-stricken culprit, can feel for withstanding he had escaped the sentheir depraved and degraded fellow- tence of death in consequence of the increature, and are anxious to temper the adequacy of the laws against the enorrigors of confinement with Christian mous crime of duelling to bring the ofsympathy. fenders to condign punishment, the stain

After my first introduction, I visited of blood was upon his hands, and the the young man three or four times be- guilty deed of depriving a fellow-creafore I received the letter which you ture of life was recorded against him in have inserted in your Miscellany for the judgment of an Omniscient God;--last Month. At these seasons I was that, in the volume of Retribution, none anxious to bring him to a just estima- of those evasions and sophistries word tion of the moral and religious necessity for repentance.

As I had long been acquainted with

be found allowed, by which the corruption of the human heart. and the fashion of a sinful world, sought to justly the

VOL. 4.]

Young Man in Prison.

25

selfish principles of a false and murder- ciety or his own-He was for ever deous honour ;-1 concluded by implor- prived of all return to reputation and ing him to consider well, in his own un- credit in this world; notwithstanding happy example, the religious truth of which, he had it in his power to seek the following inference: that no man that Divine favour and happy immorcan violate the moral obligations which tality, in which he would discover that he owes to society, without trangress- peace and joy can only bless those who ing in equal degree those in which he seek the one in this world through the is bound towards God. And, hence, it paths of pious obedience; and the othbecame him to seek the pardon of his er, in the world to come, through the guiltiness at his divine hand; since, as sure mercies of the Most High. his justice was eternal, so would be his As I felt the desolate misery to which wrath. To the justice of man he had this early victim of ungoverned passions submitted himself; and when the tem- had reduced himself, it was my great porary forfeiture of his personal liberty anxiety, as a Minister of the Word of should be paid, the discharge of the reconciliation, to seize the reflections of penalty exacted would be accomplish- his mind while they were balanced beed; and whether he manifested his tween self-reproach and repentance, penitence or not for the iniquity which and to fix them upon the latter; but I he had done, was not in the contempla- found his thoughts wretchedly bewiltion of those laws by which he was dered between the infidel notions which punished. It was not so with the jus- he had imbibed, and those prospects of tice of God, and the inflictions of his eternity which his fears, rather than his displeasure. The former could only hopes shadowed to his foreboding soul. be appeased by a faithful repentance of Pleasure, in all its most ruinous purthose trangressions which he had com- suits, had been his only object; and 1 mitted; and the latter could no other- clearly perceived that, so vitiated had wise be averted than by such newness been his heart, there was still a regret of life, as might ght prove that repentance lingering in his bosom, at finding himto be sincere. I advised him, there- self, by this last fatal act, cut off at once fore, to retire from the public eye as from all worldly gratification, and soon as the period of his sentence should doomed to disappointment and disbe completed, in order to avoid that grace; I, therefore, shewed him the ut

contempi and execration with which ali who knew him would, out of regard to their own reputation, reject him from their intercourse. In this retirement he might cultivate that hope, which the mercy of Heaven still, held out to him, and which henceforward could be the only consolation and the sole support of bis mind.

ter unprofitableness of the career which he had so inconsiderately run, as well as the criminal impetuosity with which he had persevered in its course, unrestrained by the admonitions and expostulations of his heart-broken parents, and unchecked by the reproaches of his own conscience.

It was my duty to press these saluta ry truths upon this poor young man's

This I unfolded to him in all its sacred dependencies, and endeavoured to acknowledgment; and my sympathies

were too strongly excited, not to blend with my sense of duty, an earnest desire to call him back from the unhallowed paths in which he had wandered

impress him with a Christian trust, that forgiveness might still be obtained through the righteousness of his Redeemer, and this forgiveness might be followed by everlasting blessedness. far from the moral and religious purity By these, and similar reasonings, I of Christian principle. When I looked probed his wounded conscience; and at him, and called to mind that he was searcued the depths of the wound, by once the endeared child of an affectionrepresenting to him what he had lost, and what he yet might gain. He no longer possessed the good opinion of so

D ATHENBUM. Vol. 4.

ate mother, and the promising hope of an indulgent father-when I saw him sunk in woe and personal privation