MR. GENTLET was a producer of smoke. He supposed his interests were
affected by this measure, which required the producer to be also the
consumer, but did they call that political economy? To be sure he was
not the proprietor of a chimney; but he possessed a nose: which came to
the same thing. The very occupation he pursued was that of smoking. It
was the employment of his life. It might not be a very useful branch of
industry: but it was an ornamental one. They knew by the smoke that so
gracefully curled from the end of his weed that a Pickwick was near.
They knew that a gent of fashionable exterior and elegant manners was
nigh likewise. If he was obliged to consume his own smoke, how could he
continue to diffuse fragrance in society? He identified himself with the
party of smokers; as he was a smoking party himself. If smoke was such a
nuisance, why did they make so much the other day at the review at
Spithead? Let them put that question in their pipe--and, he would add,
smoke it. Talking of pipes, he would tell PALMERSTON that his idea of a
chimney consuming its own smoke was a mere sham.
[_The speaker resumed his seat amid great laughter, principally from
himself, and the meeting terminated as it began, with clamour._
* * * * *
RESOURCE, FOR YOUNG LADIES.
[Illustration: W]
Why should young ladies in distress commit suicide, or turn governesses
in genteel families, when they might earn a decent competence by
penny-a-lining? Can they? Why yes, to be sure they can. For example,
here is a piece of that work as characteristic as crochet:--
"THE MOORS.--This morning, with the break of dawn, the quick report
of the rifle would be heard on all the moors of Scotland, and before
this sheet is in the hands of our readers, many thousand boxes of
birds will have been bagged by the keen sportsmen."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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