Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
Mr. Bludyer, the famous editor of the Tomahawk, whose jokes Sir George
pretended to admire so much (Sir George who never made a joke in his
life), was a press bravo of considerable talent and no principle, and
who, to use his own words, would “back himself for a slashing article
against any man in England!” He would not only write, but fight on a
pinch; was a good scholar, and as savage in his manner as with his
pen. Mr. Squinny is of exactly the opposite school, as delicate as
milk-and-water, harmless in his habits, fond of the flute when the state
of his chest will allow him, a great practiser of waltzing and dancing
in general, and in his journal mildly malicious. He never goes beyond
the bounds of politeness, but manages to insinuate a great deal that is
disagreeable to an author in the course of twenty lines of criticism.
Personally he is quite respectable, and lives with two maiden aunts at
Brompton. Nobody, on the contrary, knows where Mr. Bludyer lives. He has
houses of call, mysterious taverns, where he may be found at particular
hours by those who need him, and where panting publishers are in the
habit of hunting him up. For a bottle of wine and a guinea he will write
a page of praise or abuse of any man living, or on any subject, or on
any line of politics. “Hang it, sir!” says he, “pay me enough and I will
write down my own father!” According to the state of his credit, he
is dressed either almost in rags or else in the extremest flush of the
fashion. With the latter attire he puts on a haughty and aristocratic
air, and would slap a duke on the shoulder. If there is one thing more
dangerous than to refuse to lend him a sum of money when he asks for it,
it is to lend it to him; for he never pays, and never pardons a man to
whom he owes. “Walker refused to cash a bill for me,” he had been heard
to say, “and I'll do for his wife when she comes out on the stage!” Mrs.
Walker and Sir George Thrum were in an agony about the Tomahawk; hence
the latter's invitation to Mr. Bludyer. Sir George was in a great tremor
about the Flowers of Fashion, hence his invitation to Mr. Squinny. Mr.
Squinny was introduced to Lord Roundtowers and Mr. Fitz-Urse as one of
the most delightful and talented of our young men of genius; and Fitz,
who believes everything anyone tells him, was quite pleased to have
the honour of sitting near the live editor of a paper. I have reason to
think that Mr. Squinny himself was no less delighted: I saw him giving
his card to Fitz-Urse at the end of the second course.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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