In the older works we meet with “_bucks_” and “_gay blades_” and “_pretty fellows_;” and later with “_men upon town_,” “_swells_” and “_downy ones_,” or “_knowing coves_:” but the pure Gent comes not under any of these orders. He was not known in these times. He is scarcely understood now so universally as we could wish; but we trust that his real character will, before long, be properly appreciated. He is evidently the result of a variety of our present condition of society—that constant wearing struggle to appear something more than we in reality are, which now characterizes every body, both in their public and private phases. Our attention was first called to the Gents in the following manner:— We were in the habit of occasionally coming into contact with certain individuals, who when they spoke of their acquaintances were accustomed to say “I know a Gent,” or, “A Gent told me.” Never by any good luck did we hear them speak of Gentlemen. But it occurred that we chanced, on future occasions, to see one or two of the Gents above alluded to, and then we understood what they were. [Illustration] The first Gent we ever saw, we encountered on the roof of an omnibus, with his hat a little on one side, and a staring shawl round his neck. He was also smoking a cigar, as he sat next to the driver, in order that he might reap the benefit of his anecdotes and remarks concerning the horses and vehicle, to which the Gent replied at intervals, “Ah,” and “Yes,” and “I should say not,” and “Just so,” with other similar phrases used to fill up unmeaning dialogue. We heard him speak of “a Party he knew,” and he was very much interested at hearing that the off-horse worked “in the fust bus as ever Shillibeer started, and was took from the Angel to be put on the Elephant.” He was also informed of the singular speculation in which “the guvner give a fippun note for that little mare, and was offered eight sovrins for her within a week, though she was a reg’lar bag o’ bones;” upon which the Gent observed that “very often those sort of horses were the best.” Having delivered himself of which opinion, he rolled his cigar about in his mouth, gave a whiff in our face, and then removed it between his middle and ring-finger, to offer it to another Gent on the roof, who begged the favour of a light. [Illustration]