The Fitz-Boodle PapersThackeray, William Makepeace
General
The Fitz-Boodle Papers
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Imaginary letters; Satire, English
“My dear creature,” replied young Protocol, “what nonsense you talk!
I saw that very humbug in the Magazine. You say you have made a great
discovery--very good; you puff your discovery--very right; you ask money
for it--nothing can be more reasonable; and then you say that you intend
to make your discovery public in the next number of the Magazine. Do you
think I will be such a fool as to give you money for a thing which I can
have next month for nothing? Good-by, George my boy; the NEXT discovery
you make I'll tell you how to get a better price for it.” And with this
the fellow walked off, looking supremely knowing and clever.
This tale of the person I have called Protocol is not told without a
purpose, you may be sure. In the first place, it shows what are the
reasons that nobody has made application to me concerning the new
professions, namely, because I have passed my word to make them known
in this Magazine, which persons may have for the purchasing, stealing,
borrowing, or hiring, and, therefore, they will never think of applying
personally to me. And, secondly, his story proves also my assertion,
viz, that all professions are most cruelly crowded at present, and that
men will make the most absurd outlay and sacrifices for the smallest
chance of success at some future period. Well, then, I will be a
benefactor to my race, if I cannot be to one single member of it, whom
I love better than most men. What I have discovered I will make known;
there shall be no shilly-shallying work here, no circumlocution, no
bottle-conjuring business. But oh! I wish for all our sakes that I had
had an opportunity to impart the secret to one or two persons only; for,
after all, but one or two can live in the manner I would suggest. And
when the discovery is made known, I am sure ten thousand will try. The
rascals! I can see their brass-plates gleaming over scores of doors.
Competition will ruin my professions, as it has all others.
It must be premised that the two professions are intended for gentlemen,
and gentlemen only--men of birth and education. No others could support
the parts which they will be called upon to play.
And, likewise, it must be honestly confessed that these professions
have, to a certain degree, been exercised before. Do not cry out at this
and say it is no discovery! I say it IS a discovery. It is a discovery
if I show you--a gentleman--a profession which you may exercise without
derogation, or loss of standing, with certain profit, nay, possibly with
honor, and of which, until the reading of this present page, you never
thought but as of a calling beneath your rank and quite below your
reach. Sir, I do not mean to say that I create a profession. I cannot
create gold; but if, when discovered, I find the means of putting it in
your pocket, do I or do I not deserve credit?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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