d that it was certainly her
wisest course to make her last effort in the country, where, in all
probability, her talents would be less eclipsed, and her fortune more
attractive.

Be this as it will, her admonitions, though they were powerful enough to
convince, would have been insufficient to overcome the languor and
vis inertiae of her brother, had she not reinforced her arguments, by
calling in question the credit of two or three merchants, with whom he
was embarked in trade.

Alarmed at these hints of intelligence, he exerted himself effectually;
he withdrew his money from trade, and laying it out in Bank-stock, and
India-bonds, removed to a house in the country, which his father had
built near the sea-side, for the convenience of carrying on a certain
branch of traffic in which he had been deeply concerned.

Here then Mr. Pickle fixed his habitation for life, in the
six-and-thirtieth year of his age; and though the pangs he felt at
parting with his intimate companions, and quitting all his former
connections, were not quite so keen as to produce any dangerous disorder
in his constitution, he did not fail to be extremely disconcerted at his
first entrance into a scene of life to which he was totally a stranger.
Not but that he met with abundance of people in the country, who, in
consideration of his fortune, courted his acquaintance, and breathed
nothing but friendship and hospitality; yet, even the trouble of
receiving and returning these civilities was an intolerable fatigue to
a man of his habits and disposition. He therefore left the care of
the ceremonial to his sister, who indulged herself in all the pride of
formality; while he himself, having made a discovery of a public-house
in the neighbourhood, went thither every evening and enjoyed his pipe
and can; being very well satisfied with the behaviour of the landlord,
whose communicative temper was a great comfort to his own taciturnity;
for he shunned all superfluity of speech, as much as he avoided any
other unnecessary expense.

CHAPTER II.

He is made acquainted with the Characters of Commodore Trunnion and his
Adherents--Meets with them by Accident, and contracts an Intimacy with
that Commander.

This loquacious publican soon gave him sketches of all the characters
in the county; and, among others, described that of his next neighbour,
Commodore Trunnion, which was altogether singular and odd. "The
commodore and your worship," said he, "will