"Wen I anounced in the Servnts All my axeshn of forting, and that by the exasize of my own talince and ingianiuty I had reerlized a summ of 20,000 lb. (it was only 5, but what"s the use of a mann depreshiating the qualaty of his own mackyrel?)--wen I enounced my abrup intention to cut--you should have sean the sensation among hall the people! Cook wanted to know whether I woodn like a sweatbred, or the slise of the breast of a Cold Tucky. Screw, the butler, (womb I always detested as a hinsalant hoverbaring beest,) begged me to walk into the Hupper Servnts All, and try a gla.s.s of Shuperior Shatto Margo. Heven Visp, the coachmin, eld out his and, & said, "Jeames, I hopes theres no quarraling betwigst you & me, & I"ll stand a pot of beer with pleasure."
"The sickofnts!--that wery Cook had split on me to the Housekeeper ony last week (catchin me priggin some cold tuttle soop, of which I"m remarkable fond). Has for the butler, I always EBOMMINATED him for his precious snears and imperence to all us Gents who woar livry (he never would sit in our parlor, fasooth, nor drink out of our mugs); and in regard of Visp--why, it was ony the day before the wulgar beest hoffered to fite me, and thretnd to give me a good iding if I refused. Gentlemen and ladies," says I, as haughty as may be, "there"s nothink that I want for that I can"t go for to buy with my hown money, and take at my lodgins in Halbany, letter Hex; if I"m ungry I"ve no need to refresh myself in the KITCHING." And so saying, I took a dignified ajew of these minnial domestics; and ascending to my epartment in the 4 pair back, brushed the powder out of my air, and taking off those hojous livries for hever, put on a new soot, made for me by Cullin of St. Jeames Street, and which fitted my manly figger as tight as whacks.
"There was ONE pusson in the house with womb I was rayther anxious to evoid a persnal leave-taking--Mary Hann Oggins, I mean--for my art is natural tender, and I can"t abide seeing a pore gal in pane. I"d given her previous the infamation of my departure--doing the ansom thing by her at the same time--paying her back 20 lb., which she"d lent me 6 months before: and paying her back not only the interest, but I gave her an andsome pair of scissars and a silver thimbil, by way of boa.n.u.s.
"Mary Hann," says I, "suckimstancies has haltered our rellatif positions in life. I quit the Servnts Hall for ever, (for has for your marrying a person in my rank, that, my dear, is hall gammin,) and so I wish you a good-by, my good gal, and if you want to better yourself, halways refer to me."
"Mary Hann didn"t hanser my speech (which I think was remarkable kind), but looked at me in the face quite wild like, and bust into somethink betwigst a laugh & a cry, and fell down with her ed on the kitching dresser, where she lay until her young Missis rang the dressing-room bell. Would you bleave it? She left the thimbil & things, & my check for 20lb. 10s., on the tabil when she went to hanser the bell. And now I heard her sobbing and vimpering in her own room nex but one to mine, vith the dore open, peraps expecting I should come in and say good-by.
But, as soon as I was dressed, I cut down stairs, hony desiring Frederick my fellow-servnt, to fetch me a cabb, and requesting permission to take leaf of my lady & the famly before my departure."
"How Miss Hemly did hogle me to be sure! Her ladyship told me what a sweet gal she was--hamiable, fond of poetry, plays the gitter. Then she hasked me if I liked blond bewties and haubin hair. Haubin, indeed! I don"t like carrits! as it must be confest Miss Hemly"s his--and has for a BLOND BUTY, she has pink I"s like a Halbino, and her face looks as if it were dipt in a brann mash. How she squeeged my & as she went away!
"Mary Hann now HAS haubin air, and a c.u.mplexion like roses and hivory, and I"s as blew as Evin.
"I gev Frederick two and six for fetchin the cabb--been resolved to hact the gentleman in hall things. How he stared!"
"25th.--I am now director of forty-seven hadvantageous lines, and have past hall day in the Citty. Although I"ve hate or nine new soots of close, and Mr. Cullin fits me heligant, yet I fansy they hall reckonise me. Conshns whispers to me, "Jeams, you"r hony a footman in disguise hafter all.""
"28th.--Been to the Hopra. Music tol lol. That Lablash is a wopper at singing. I coodn make out why some people called out "Bravo,"
some "Bravar," and some "Bravee." "Bravee, Lablash," says I, at which heverybody laft.
"I"m in my new stall. I"ve had new cushings put in, and my harms in goold on the back. I"m dressed hall in black, excep a gold waistcoat and dimind studds in the embriderd busom of my shameese. I wear a Camallia Jiponiky in my b.u.t.ton-ole, and have a double-barreld opera-glas, so big, that I make Timmins, my secnd man, bring it in the other cabb.
"What an igstronry exabishn that Pawdy Carter is! If those four gals are faries, Tellioni is sutnly the fairy Queend. She can do all that they can do, and somethink they can"t. There"s an indiscrible grace about her, and Carlotty, my sweet Carlotty, she sets my art in flams.
"Ow that Miss Hemly was noddin and winkin at me out of their box on the fourth tear?
"What linx i"s she must av. As if I could mount up there!
"P.S.--Talking of MOUNTING HUP! the St. Helena"s walked up 4 per cent this very day."
"2nd July.--Rode my bay oss Desperation in the park. There was me, Lord George Ringwood (Lord Cinqbar"s son), Lord Ballybunnion, Honorable Capting Trap, & sevral hother young swells. Sir John"s carridge there in coa.r.s.e. Miss Hemly lets fall her booky as I pa.s.s, and I"m obleged to get hoff and pick it hup, & get splashed up to the his. The gettin on hossback agin is halways the juice & hall. Just as I was on, Desperation begins a porring the hair with his 4 feet, and sinks down so on his anches, that I"m blest if I didn"t slip hoff agin over his tail, at which Ballybunnion & the hother chaps rord with lafter.
"As Bally has istates in Queen"s County, I"ve put him on the St. Helena direction. We call it the "Great St. Helena Napoleon Junction," from Jamestown to Longwood. The French are taking it hup heagerly."
"6th July.--Dined to-day at the London Tavin with one of the Welsh bords of Direction I"m hon. The Cwrwmwrw & Plmwyddlywm, with tunnils through Snowding and Plinlimming.
"Great nashnallity of course. Ap Shinkin in the chair, Ap Llwydd in the vice; Welsh mutton for dinner; Welsh iron knives & forks; Welsh rabbit after dinner; and a Welsh harper, be hanged to him: he went strummint on his hojous hinstrument, and played a toon piguliarly disagreeble to me.
"It was PORE MARY HANN. The clarrit holmost choaked me as I tried it, and I very nearly wep myself as I thought of her bewtifle blue i"s. Why HAM I always thinking about that gal? Sasiety is sasiety, it"s lors is irresistabl. Has a man of rank I can"t marry a serving-made. What would Cinqbar and Ballybunnion say?
"P.S.--I don"t like the way that Cinqbars has of borroing money, & halways making me pay the bill. Seven pound six at the "Shipp,"
Grinnidge, which I don"t grudge it, for Derbyshire"s brown Ock is the best in Urup; nine pound three at the "Trafflygar," and seventeen pound sixteen and nine at the "Star and Garter," Richmond, with the Countess St. Emilion & the Baroness Frontignac. Not one word of French could I speak, and in consquince had nothink to do but to make myself halmost sick with heating hices and desert, while the hothers were chattering and parlyvooing.
"Ha! I remember going to Grinnidge once with Mary Hann, when we were more happy (after a walk in the park, where we ad one gingy-beer betwigst us), more appy with tea and a simple srimp than with hall this splender!"--
"July 24.--My first-floor apartmince in Halbiny is now kimpletely and chasely furnished--the droring-room with yellow satting and silver for the chairs and sophies--hemrall green tabbinet curtings with pink velvet & goold borders and fringes; a light blue Haxminster Carpit, embroydered with tulips; tables, secritaires, cunsoles, &c., as handsome as goold can make them, and candle-sticks and shandalers of the purest Hormolew.
"The Dining-room furniture is all HOAK, British Hoak; round igspanding table, like a trick in a Pantimime, iccommadating any number from 8 to 24--to which it is my wish to restrict my parties. Curtings crimsing damask, Chairs crimsing myrocky. Portricks of my favorite great men decorats the wall--namely, the Duke of Wellington. There"s four of his Grace. For I"ve remarked that if you wish to pa.s.s for a man of weight and considdration you should holways praise and quote him. I have a valluble one lickwise of my Queend, and 2 of Prince Halbert--has a Field Martial and halso as a privat Gent. I despise the vulgar SNEARS that are daily hullered aginst that Igsolted Pottentat. Betwigxt the Prins & the Duke hangs me, in the Uniform of the Cinqbar Malitia, of which Cinqbars has made me Capting.
"The Libery is not yet done.
"But the Bedd-roomb is the Jem of the whole. If you could but see it!
such a Bedworr! Ive a Shyval Dressing Gla.s.s festooned with Walanseens Lace, and lighted up of evenings with rose-colored tapers. Goold dressing-case and twilet of Dresding Cheny. My bed white and gold with curtings of pink and silver brocayd held up a top by a goold Qpid who seems always a smilin angillicly hon me, has I lay with my Ed on my piller hall sarounded with the finest Mechlin. I have a own man, a yuth under him, 2 groombs, and a fimmale for the House. I"ve 7 osses: in cors if I hunt this winter I must increase my ixtablishment.
"N.B. Heverythink looking well in the City. St. Helenas, 12 pm.; Madagascars, 9 5/8; Saffron Hill and Rookery Junction, 24; and the new lines in prospick equily incouraging.
"People phansy it"s hall gaiety and pleasure the life of us fashnabble gents about townd--But I can tell "em it"s not hall goold that glitters. They don"t know our momints of hagony, hour ours of studdy and reflecshun. They little think when they see Jeames de la Pluche, Exquire, worling round in a walce at Halmax with Lady Hann, or lazaly stepping a kidrill with Lady Jane, poring helegant nothinx into the Countess"s hear at dinner, or gallopin his hoss Desperation hover the exorcisin ground in the Park,--they little think that leader of the tong, seaminkly so reckliss, is a careworn mann! and yet so it is.
"Imprymus. I"ve been ableged to get up all the ecomplishments at double quick, & to apply myself with treemenjuous energy.
"First,--in horder to give myself a hideer of what a gentleman reely is, I"ve read the novvle of "Pelham" six times, and am to go through it 4 times mor.
"I practis ridin and the acquirement of "a steady and & a sure seat across Country" a.s.sijuously 4 times a week, at the Hippydrum Riding Grounds. Many"s the tumbil I"ve ad, and the aking boans I"ve suffered from, though I was grinnin in the Park or laffin at the Opra.
"Every morning from 6 till 9, the innabitance of Halbany may have been surprised to hear the sounds of music ishuing from the apartmince of Jeames de la Pluche, Exquire, Letter Hex. It"s my dancing-master.
From six to nine we have walces and polkies--at nine, "mangtiang & depotment," as he calls it & the manner of hentering a room, complimenting the ost and ostess & compotting yourself at table. At nine I henter from my dressing-room (has to a party), I make my bow--my master (he"s a Marquis in France, and ad misfortins, being connected with young Lewy Nepoleum) reseaves me--I hadwance--speak abowt the weather & the toppix of the day in an elegant & cussory manner.
Brekfst is enounced by Fitzwarren, my mann--we precede to the festive bord--complimence is igschanged with the manner of drinking wind, addressing your neighbor, employing your napking & finger-glas, &c. And then we fall to brekfst, when I prommiss you the Marquis don"t eat like a commoner. He says I"m gettn on very well--soon I shall be able to inwite people to brekfst, like Mr. Mills, my rivle in Halbany; Mr.
Macauly, (who wrote that sweet book of ballets, "The Lays of Hancient Rum;") & the great Mr. Rodgers himself.
"The above was wrote some weeks back. I HAVE given brekfst sins then, reglar Deshunys. I have ad Earls and Ycounts--Barnits as many as I chose: and the pick of the Railway world, of which I form a member. Last Sunday was a grand Fate. I had the Eleet of my friends: the display was sumptious; the company reshershy. Everything that Dellixy could suggest was provided by Gunter. I had a Countiss on my right & (the Countess of Wigglesbury, that loveliest and most dashing of Staggs, who may be called the Railway Queend, as my friend George H---- is the Railway King,) on my left the Lady Blanche Bluenose, Prince Towrowski, the great Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone from the North, and a skoar of the fust of the fashn. I was in my GLOARY--the dear Countess and Lady Blanche was dying with lauffing at my joax and fun--I was keeping the whole table in a roar--when there came a ring at my door-bell, and sudnly Fitzwarren, my man, henters with an air of constanation. "Theres somebody at the door," says he in a visper.
""Oh, it"s that dear Lady Hemily," says I, "and that lazy raskle of a husband of hers. Trot them in, Fitzwarren," (for you see by this time I had adopted quite the manners and hease of the arristoxy.)--And so, going out, with a look of wonder he returned presently, enouncing Mr. & Mrs. Blodder.
"I turned gashly pail. The table--the guests--the Countiss--Towrouski, and the rest, weald round & round before my hagitated I"s. IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER AND Huncle Bill. She is a washerwoman at Healing Common, and he--he keeps a wegetable donkey-cart.
"Y, Y hadn"t John, the tiger, igscluded them? He had tried. But the unconscious, though worthy creeters, adwanced in spite of him, Huncle Bill bringing in the old lady grinning on his harm!
"Phansy my feelinx."
"Immagin when these unfortnat members of my famly hentered the room: you may phansy the ixtonnishment of the n.o.bil company presnt. Old Grann looked round the room quite estounded by its horiental splender, and huncle Bill (pulling off his phantail, & seluting the company as respeckfly as his wulgar natur would alow) says--"Crikey, Jeames, you"ve got a better birth here than you ad where you were in the plush and powder line." "Try a few of them plovers hegs, sir," I says, whishing, I"m asheamed to say, that somethink would choke huncle B---; "and I hope, mam, now you"ve ad the kindniss to wisit me, a little refreshment won"t be out of your way."
"This I said, detummind to put a good fase on the matter: and because in herly times I"d reseaved a great deal of kindniss from the hold lady, which I should be a roag to forgit. She paid for my schooling; she got up my fine linning gratis; shes given me many & many a lb; and manys the time in appy appy days when me and Maryhann has taken tea. But never mind THAT. "Mam," says I, "you must be tired hafter your walk."
""Walk? Nonsince, Jeames," says she; "it"s Sat.u.r.day, & I came in, in THE CART." "Black or green tea, maam?" says Fitzwarren, intarupting her. And I will say the feller showed his nouce & good breeding in this difficklt momink; for he"d halready silenced huncle Bill, whose mouth was now full of m.u.f.finx, am, Blowny sausag, Perrigole pie, and other dellixies.
""Wouldn"t you like a little SOMETHINK in your tea, Mam," says that sly wagg Cinqbars. "HE knows what I likes," replies the hawfle hold Lady, pinting to me, (which I knew it very well, having often seen her take a gla.s.s of hojous gin along with her Bohee), and so I was ableeged to horder Fitzwarren to bring round the licures, and to help my unfortnit rellatif to a b.u.mper of Ollands. She tost it hoff to the elth of the company, giving a smack with her lipps after she"d emtied the glas, which very nearly caused me to phaint with hagny. But, luckaly for me, she didn"t igspose herself much farther: for when Cinqbars was pressing her to take another glas, I cried out, "Don"t, my lord," on which old Grann hearing him edressed by his t.i.tle, cried out, "A Lord! o law!"
and got up and made him a cutsy, and coodnt be peswaded to speak another word. The presents of the n.o.ble gent heavidently made her uneezy.
"The Countiss on my right and had shownt symtms of ixtream disgust at the beayvior of my relations, and having called for her carridg, got up to leave the room, with the most dignified hair. I, of coa.r.s.e, rose to conduct her to her weakle. Ah, what a contrast it was! There it stood, with stars and garters hall hover the pannels; the footmin in peach-colored t.i.tes; the hosses worth 3 hundred apiece;--and there stood the horrid LINNEN-CART, with "Mary Blodder, Laundress, Ealing, Middles.e.x," wrote on the bord, and waiting till my abandind old parint should come out.