carved on a golden tablet! The last four lines are sublime! He was a martyr to principles that are silently and rapidly making their way in this country." - How much farther he would have gone on in this strain, seeing no one present had resolution enough to differ with or interrupt him, even if they had been so disposed, I know not, but fortunately dinner was announced a sound which startled old Quirk out of a posture of intense attention to Viper, and evident admiration of his sentiments. He gave his arm with an air of prodigious politeness to the gaunt Mrs Alderman Addlehead, whose distinguished lord led down Miss Quirk-and the rest followed in no particular order-Titmouse arm in arm with Gammon, who took care to place him next to himself, (Gammon.) It was really a dashing sort of dinner. Quirk had, indeed, long been celebrated for his Sunday dinners. Titmouse had never seen any thing like it; and was quite bewildered-particularly at the number of differently shaped and coloured glasses, &c. &c. &c., placed opposite to him. He kept a constant eye on the movements of Gammon, and did whatever he did, as if the two had been moved by the same set of springs, and was thus saved innumerable embarrassments and annoyances. What chiefly struck his attention was the prodigious number of dishes, great and small, as if half-a-dozen dinners had been crowded into one; the rapidity with which they were changed, and plates removed, in constant succession; the incessant invitations to take wine that were flying about during the whole of dinner. For a considerable while Titmouse was too much flurried to enjoy himself; but a few glasses of champagne succeeded in elevating his spirits to the proper pitch-and would soon have driven them far beyond it. Almost every body, except the great folk at the top of the table, asked him to take wine; and he constantly filled his glass. In fact Gammon, recollecting a scene at his own chamber, soon perceived that, unless he interfered, Titmouse would be drunk long before dinner was over. He had not imagined the earth to contain so exquisite a drink as champagne; and he could have fallen down and worshipped it, as it came fizzing and flashing out of the bottle. Gammon earnestly assured

him that he would be ill if he drunk so much-that many eyes were upon him - and that it was not the custom to do more than merely sip from his wineglass when challenging or challenged. But Titmouse had taken a considerably greater quantity on board, before Gammon thus interfered, than that gentleman was aware of, and began to get very voluble. Guess the progress he had made, when he called out with a confident air-" Mr Alderman! Your health!" _whether more to that great man's astonishment or disgust I cannot undertake to say: but after a steady stare for a moment or two at Titmouse, "Oh! I shall be very happy, indeed, Mr Gammon," he called out, looking at the latter gentleman, and drinking with him. That signified nothing, however, to Titmouse, who, indeed, did not see any thing at all pointed or unusual, and gulped down his wine as eagerly as before.

"Cool puppy that, Miss Quirk, must say," snuffled the offended Alderman to Miss Quirk.

"He's young, dear Mr Alderman," said she, sweetly and mildly_" and when you consider the immense fortune he is coming into ten thousand a-year, my papa says"

"That don't make him less a puppy -nor a brute," interrupted the ruffled Alderman, still more indignant; for his own forty thousand pounds, the source of all his social eminence, sunk into insignificance at the sound of the splendid income just about to drop into the lap of Titmouse. Mr Bluster, who headed the table on Miss Quirk's left-hand side, and who felt that he ought to be, but knew that in the presence of the Alderman he was not, the great man of the day, observing the irritation under which his rival was suffering, immediately raised his threatening double-glasses to his eyes, and in a tone of ostentatious condescension, looking down the table to Titmouse, called out, " Mr Titmash - may I have the honour of drinking your health?"

"Ya-as, brother Bumptions," replied Titmouse, who could never bear to hear his name mis-pronounced, and he raised his glass to his eye; "was just going to ask you!" All this was done in such a loud and impudent tone and manner, as made Gammon still more uneasy for his young companion. But his sally had been received by the company as a very smart retort, and produced a roar of laughter, every one being glad to see Mr Bluster snubbed, who bore it in silent dignity, though his face showed his chagrin and astonishment; and he very heart. ily agreed, for once in his life, with the worshipful person opposite to him in his estimate of our friend Titmouse. "Mr Titmouse! Mr Titmouse! my daughter wonders you won't take wine with her," said Mr Quirk, in a low tone-" will you join us? we're going to take a glass of champagne."

"Oh! 'pon my life-delighted"quoth Titmouse.

"Dora, my dear! Mr Titmouse will take wine with you! - Jack," (to the servant,) "fill Miss Quirk's and Mr Titmouse's glasses to the brim."

"Oh no! dearest papa." "Pho! pho! nonsense-the first time of asking, you know."

"Well! If it must be," and with what a graceful inclination-with what a pointed manner, and fascinas ting smile, did she exchange courtesies with Titmouse! He felt disposed to take wine with her a second time immediately; but Gammon restrained him. Mr Toady Hug, having become acquainted with the brilliant prospects of Titmouse, earnestly desired to exert his little talents to do the agreeable, and ingratiate himself with Mr Titmouse; but there was a counteracting force in another direction, an attorney, a Mr Flaw, who had the greatest practice at the Clerkenwell sessions, sat beside him, and received his most respectful and incessant attentions; speaking ever in a low confidential whisper, constantly casting a furtive glance towards Bluster and Slang, to see whether they were observing him. Hug, in strict confidence, assured Mr Flaw how his case, the other day, might have been won, if such and such a course had been adopted, "which would have been the line he" (Hug) "would have taken;" and which he explained with anxious energy. "I must say, Flip regularly threw the case away-no doubt of it! By the way, what became of that burglary case of yours on Friday?" "Found guilty, poor fellows!" "You don't say so?" "Fact, by Jove, though!" "How could Gobble have lost that verdict? I assure you I would have bet ten to one on your getting a verdict; for I read over your brief as it

lay beside me, and upon my honour, Mr Flaw, it was most admirably got up. Every thing depends on the brief".

"Glad you thought so, sir," replied Flaw, wondering how it was that he had never before thought of giving a brief to Mr Hug.

"It's a great mistake of counsel not to pay great attention to their briefs. For my part," continued Mr Hug, in a still lower tone, " I make a point of reading every syllable in my brief, however long it is."

"It's the only way, depend on it, sir. We attorneys see and know so much of the case

"Ay, and beyond that. Your practical suggestions are often-Now, for instance, in the brief I was alluding to, there was an uncommonly acute suggestion."

"Which was it, sir?" enquired the attorney, his countenance showing the progress of Hug's lubricating process. "Oh-why-a-a-hem! No; it would hardly be fair to Gobble, and I'm sorry indeed"

"Well, well-it can't be helped now but I must say that once or twice latterly I've thought that Mr Gobble has rather By the way, Mr Hug, shall you be in town this week, till the end of the sessions?"

"Ye-e-s!" hastily whispered Hug, after glancing guiltily towards his brethren, who, though they did not seem to do so, were really watching him closely.

"I'm happy to hear it. You've heard of Aaron Doodle, who was committed for that burglary at. Well, I defend him, and shall be happy to give you the brief. Do you lead Mr Dolt?" Hug nodded. "Then he will be your junior. Where are your chambers, Mr Hug?"

"No. 4, Sly Court, Gray's Inn. When does it come on?" "Thursday-perhaps Wednesday." "Then do come and breakfast with me, and we can talk it over together." Sir, you're very ry polite. polite. I will do

66

myself the pleasure.

This little stroke of business over, the disengaged couple were at liberty to attend to the general conversation of the table. Mr Bluster and Mr Slang kept the company in almost a constant roar, with descriptions of scenes in court, in which they had, of course, been the principal actors; and according to their own accounts they must be wonderful fellows. Such botherers of judges!-such bafflers and browbeaters of witnesses!-such bamboozlers of juries!

You should have seen the sneering countenance of Hug all the while. He never once smiled or laughed at the sallies of his brethren, and did his best to prevent his new patron, Mr Flaw, from doing so-constantly put ting his hand before his mouth, and whispering into Mr Flaw's ear at the very point of the joke or story-and the smile would disappear from the countenance of Mr Flaw.

The alderman laughed till the tears ran out of his little eyes, which he constantly wiped with his napkin. Amidst the general laughter and excitement, Miss Quirk, leaning her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the table, several times directed soft, languishing looks towards Titmouse, unobserved by any one but himself; and they were not entirely unsuccessful, although Titmouse was wonderfully taken with the stories of the two counsellors, and believed them to be two of the greatest men he had ever seen or heard of, and at the head of their profession.

" I hope, sir, you'll have those two gents. in my case?" said he earnestly to Gammon.

"Unfortunately, your case will not come on in their courts," said Gammon, with a very expressive smile.

"Why, can't it come on when I choose? or when you like?" enquired Titmouse, surprisedly.

Mr Quirk had been soured during the whole of dinner, for he had anxiously desired to have Titmouse sit beside him at the bottom of the table; but in the little hubbub attendant upon coming down to dinner and taking places, Titmouse slipped out of sight for a minute; and when all were placed, Quirk's enraged eye perceived him seated in the middle of the table, beside Gammon. Gammon always got hold of Titmouse. Old Quirk could have flung a decanter at his headIn his own house! - at his own table! Always anticipating and circumventing him.

a

"Mr Quirk, I don't think we've taken a glass of wine together yet, have we?" said Gammon, with bland and cordial manner, at the same time pouring himself out a glass of wine. He perfectly well knew what was annoying his respected partner,

whose look of quaint embarrassment, when so suddenly assailed, infinitely amused him. "Catch me asking you here again, Master Gammon," thought Quirk, "the next time that Titmouse dines here!" The reason why Mr Snap had not been asked was, that Quirk had some slight cause to suspect his having conceived the notion of paying his addresses to Miss Quirk -a thing at any time not particularly palatable to Mr Quirk; but in the present conjuncture of circumstances quite out of the question, and intolerable even in idea. Snap was not slow in guessing the reason of his exclusion, which had greatly mortified, and also not a little alarmed him. As far as he could venture, he had, during the week, endeavoured to "set" Titmouse "against" Miss Quirk, by such faint disparaging remarks and insinuations as he dared venture upon with so difficult a subject as Titmouse, whom he at the same time inflamed by representations of the splendid matches he might very soon command among the highest women of the land. By these means Snap had, to a certain extent, succeeded; but the few melting glances which had fallen upon Titmouse's sensitive bosom from the eyes of Miss Quirk, were beginning to operate a slight change in his feelings. The old alderman, on an intimation that the "ladies were going to withdraw," laid violent hands on Miss Quirk, (he was a " privileged" old fool,) and insisted on her singing his favourite song," My Friend and Pitcher." His request was so warmly seconded by the rest of the company, Titmouse as loud and eager as any, that she was fain to comply. She sung with considerable sweetness, and much self-possession. She carried Titmouse's feelings along with her from the beginning, as Gammon, who was watching him, perceived.

"Most uncommon lovely gal, isn't she?" whispered Titmouse, with great energy.

"Very!" replied Gammon drily, with a slight smile.

"Shall I call out encore? A'n't that the word? 'Pon my soul, most lovely gal! she must sing it again."

"No, no-she wishes to go-'tis not usual: she will sing it for you, I dare say, this evening, if you ask her."

Well-most charming gal!Lovely!" "Have patience, my dear Tit

mouse," said Gammon, in a low whisper, "in a few months' time you'll soon be thrown into much higher life than this among really beautiful, and rich, and accomplished women "[and, thought Gammon, you'll resemble a monkey that has found his way into a rich tulip-bed!]

Fancy Miss Tag-rag standing beside her."

" Ha, ha!" gently laughed Gammon" both of them, in their way, are very worthy persons; but" - Here the ladies withdrew. 'Twas no part of Gammon's plans that Titmouse should become the son-in-law of either Quirk or Tag-rag.

As soon as Quirk had taken the head of the table, and the gentlemen drawn together, the bottles were pushed round very briskly, accompanied by no less than three different sorts of snuffboxes, all belonging to Mr Quirkall of them presents from clients. One was a huge affair of Botany Bay wood, with a very flaming inscription on the inside of the lid; from which it appeared that its amiable donors, who were trying the effect of a change of climate on their moral health at the expense of a grateful country, owed their valuable lives to the professional skill and exertions of "Caleb Quirk, Esq." In short, the other two were trophies of a similar description, of which their possessor was very justly not a little proud; and as he saw Titmouse admiring them, it occurred to him as very possible that, within a few months' time, he should be in possession of a magnificent gold snuff-box, in acknowledgment of the services he should have rendered to his distinguished guest and client. Titmouse was in the highest possible spirits. This, his first glimpse into high life, equalled all his expectations. Round and round went the bottles_crack went joke after joke. Slang sung song upon song, of, however, so very coarse and broad a character as infinitely disgusted Gammon, and apparently shocked the alderman; - though I greatly distrust that old sinner's sincerity in the matter. Then Ghastly's performances commenced. Poor fellow! he exerted himself to the utmost to earn the good dinner he had just devoured: but when he was in the very middle of one of his most impassioned scenes-undoubtedly "tearing a passion to rags," interrupted Mr Quirk, impatiently" Come, come,

Ghastly, we've had enough of that sort it don't suit at all-don't roar so, man!"

Poor Ghastly instantly resumed his seat, with a chagrined and melancholy air.

"Give us something funny," said the alderman.

"Let's have the chorus of Pigs and Ducks," said Quirk; "you do that remarkable well. I could fancy the animals were running and squealing and quacking all about the room." The actor did as he was desired, commencing with a sigh, and was much applauded. At length Gammon happened to get into a discussion with Mr Bluster upon some point connected with the Habeas Corpus Act, in which Corp our friend Gammon, who never got heated in discussion, and was very accurate in whatever he knew, had glaringly the best of it. His calm, smiling self-possession almost drove poor Bluster frantic. The less he knew, of course the louder he talked, the more vehement and positive he became; at length offering a bet that he was right; at which Gammon bowed, smiled, and closed the discussion. While engaged in it, he had of course been unable to keep his eye upon Titmouse, who drunk, consequently, like a little fish, never letting the bottle pass him. Every one about him filled his glass every time-why should not he?

Hug sat next to Viper; feared him, and avoided discussion with him; for, though they agreed in their politics, which were of the loosest and lowest radical description, they had a personal antipathy each to the other. In spite of their wishes, they at length got entangled in a very virulent controversy, and said so many insulting things to each other, that the rest of the company, who had for some time been amused, got at length-not disgusted-but alarmed, for the possible results. Mr Quirk, therefore, interfered.

"Bravo! bravo! bravo!" he exclaimed, as Viper concluded a most envenomed passage, "that will do, Viper-whip it into the next Flash'twill be a capital leader! It will produce a sensation! And in the mean time, gentlemen, let me request you to fill yourglasses-bumpers for I've a toast to propose, in which you'll all feel interested when you hear who's the subject of it. It is a gentleman who is likely soon to be elevated to a

station which Nature has formed him _hem! hem! -to adorn"

" Mr Quirk'sproposing your health, Titmouse!" whispered Gammon to his companion, who, having been very restless for some time, had at length become quite silent; his head resting on his hand, his elbow on the tablehis eyes languidly half open, and his face exceedingly pale. Gammon saw that he was in truth in a very ticklish condition.

"I-wish-you'd let me go out -I'm-devilish ill!"-said Titmouse, faintly. Gammon made a signal to Quirk, whoinstantly ceased his speech; and, coming down to Titmouse, he and Gammon hastily led him out of the room, and into the nearest bed-chamber, where he began to be very ill, and so continued for several hours. Old Quirk, who was a long-headed man, was delighted by this occurrence; for he saw that if he insisted on Titmouse's being put to bed, and passing the night -and perhaps the next day-at Alibi House, it would enable Miss Quirk to bring her attractions to bear upon him effectively, by exhibiting those delicate and endearing attentions which are so soothing, and indeed necessary to an invalid. Titmouse continued severely indisposed during the whole of the night; and, early in the morning, it was thought advisable to send for a medical man, who pronounced Titmouse to be in danger of a bilious fever, and to require rest, and care, and medical attendance for some days to come. This was rather " too much of a good thing" for old Quirk-but there was no remedy. Foreseeing that Titmouse would be thrown constantly, for some little time to come, into Miss Quirk's company, her prudent parent enjoined upon Mrs Alias, his sister, the necessity of impressing on his daughter's mind the great uncertainty that, after all, existed as to Titmouse's prospects; and the consequent necessity there was for her to regulate her conduct with a view to either failure or success-to keep her affections, as it were, in abeyance. But the fact was, that Miss Quirk had so often heard the subject of Titmouse's brilliant expectations talked of by her father, and knew so well his habitual prudence and caution, that she looked upon Titmouse's speedy possession of ten thousand a year as a matter almost of certainty. She was a girl of some natural shrewdness, but

of an early inclination to maudlin sentimentality. Had she been blessed with the vigilant and affectionate care of a mother as she grew up, (her mother having died when Miss Quirk was but a child,) and been thrown among a different set of people from those who constantly visited at Alibi Houseand of whom a very favourable speci. men has been laid before the readerMiss Quirk might really have become a very sensible and agreeable girl. As it was, her manners had contracted a certain coarseness, which at length overspread her whole character; and the selfish and mercenary motives by which she could not fail to perceive all her father's conduct regulated, infected herself. She resolved, therefore, to be governed by the considerations so urgently pressed upon her by both her father and her aunt.

It was several days before Titmouse was allowed, by his medical man, to quit his bedroom; and it is impossible for any woman not to be touched by the sight of a sudden change effected in a man by severe indisposition and suffering-even be that man so poor a creature as Titmouse. He was very pale, and considerably reduced by the severe nature of his complaint, and of the powerful medicines which had been administered to him. When he made his first appearance before Miss Quirk, one afternoon, with somewhat feeble gait, and a languid air that mitigated, if it did not obliterate, the foolish and conceited expression of his features, she really regarded him with considerable interest; and, though she might hardly have owned it even to herself, his expected good fortune invested him with a kind of subdued radiance. Ten thousand a-year!Miss Quirk's heart fluttered! By the time that he was well enough to take his departure, she had, at his request, read over to him nearly half of that truly interesting work the Newgate Calendar; she had sung to him, and played to him, whatever he had asked her; and, in short, she felt that if she could but be certain that he would gain his great lawsuit, and step into ten thousand a-year, she could love him. She insisted, on the day of his quitting Alibi House, that he should write in her album; and he very readily complied. It was nearly ten minutes before he could get a pen to suit him. At length he succeeded, and left the following interesting me.