Frinstance, on our stairkis (so these houses are called), there was 8
sets of chamberses, and only 3 lawyers. These was, bottom floar,
Screwson, Hewson, and Jewson, attorneys; fust floor, Mr. Sergeant
Flabber--opsite, Mr. Counslor Bruffy; and secknd pair, Mr. Haggerstony,
an Irish counslor, pracktising at the Old Baly, and lickwise what they
call reporter to the Morning Post nyouspapper. Opsite him was wrote
MR. RICHARD BLEWITT;
and on the thud floar, with my master, lived one Mr. Dawkins.
This young fellow was a new comer into the Temple, and unlucky it was
for him too--he'd better have never been born; for its my firm apinion
that the Temple ruined him--that is, with the help of my master and Mr.
Dick Blewitt, as you shall hear.
Mr. Dawkins, as I was gave to understand by his young man, had jest
left the Universary of Oxford, and had a pretty little form of his
own--six thousand pound, or so--in the stox. He was jest of age, an
orfin who had lost his father and mother; and having distinkwished
hisself at collitch, where he gained seffral prices, was come to town
to push his form, and study the barryster's bisniss.
Not bein of a verry high fammly hisself--indeed, I've heard say his
father was a chismonger, or somethink of that lo sort--Dawkins was glad
to find his old Oxford friend, Mr. Blewitt, yonger son to rich Squire
Blewitt, of Listershire, and to take rooms so near him.
Now, tho' there was a considdrabble intimacy between me and Mr.
Blewitt's gentleman, there was scarcely any betwixt our masters,--mine
being too much of the aristoxy to associate with one of Mr. Blewitt's
sort. Blewitt was what they call a bettin man: he went reglar to
Tattlesall's, kep a pony, wore a white hat, a blue berd's-eye
handkercher, and a cut-away coat. In his manners he was the very
contrary of my master, who was a slim, ellygant man, as ever I see--he
had very white hands, rayther a sallow face, with sharp dark ise, and
small wiskus neatly trimmed, and as black as Warren's jet--he spoke
very low and soft--he seemed to be watchin the person with whom he was
in convysation, and always flatterd every body. As for Blewitt, he was
quite of another sort. He was always swearin, singin, and slappin
people on the back, as hearty and as familiar as posbill. He seemed a
merry, careless, honest cretur, whom one would trust with life and
soul. So thought Dawkins, at least; who, though a quiet young man,
fond of his boox, novvles, Byron's poems, floot-playing, and such like
scientafic amusemints, grew hand in glove with honest Dick Blewitt, and
soon after with my master, the Honrabble Halgernon. Poor Daw! he
thought he was makin good connexions, and real friends--he had fallen
in with a couple of the most etrocious swinlers that ever lived.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account