and drove to
Charlotte-street. The worthy Job received me with his wonted dignity and
ease; his lodgings consisted of a first floor, furnished according
to all the notions of Bloomsbury elegance--viz. new, glaring Brussels
carpeting; convex mirrors, with massy gilt frames, and eagles at the
summit; rosewood chairs, with chintz cushions; bright grates, with
a flower-pot, cut out of yellow paper, in each; in short, all that
especial neatness of upholstering paraphernalia, which Vincent used
not inaptly, to designate by the title of "the tea-chest taste." Jonson
seemed not a little proud of his apartments--accordingly, I complimented
him upon their elegance.

"Under the rose be it spoken," said he, "the landlady, who is a widow,
believes me to be an officer on half pay, and thinks I wish to marry
her; poor woman, my black locks and green coat have a witchery that
surprises even me: who would be a slovenly thief, when there are such
advantages in being a smart one?"

"Right, Mr. Jonson!" said I; "but shall I own to you that I am surprised
that a gentleman of your talents should stoop to the lower arts of the
profession. I always imagined that pickpocketing was a part of your
business left only to the plebeian purloiner; now I know, to my cost,
that you do not disdain that manual accomplishment."

"Your honour speaks like a judge," answered Job: "the fact is, that
I should despise what you rightly designate 'the lower arts of the
profession,' if I did not value myself upon giving them a charm, and
investing them with a dignity never bestowed upon them before. To give
you an idea of the superior dexterity with which I manage my slight of
hand, know, that four times I have been in that shop where you saw me
borrow the diamond ring, which you now remark upon my little finger; and
four times have I brought back some token of my visitations; nay, the
shopman is so far from suspecting me, that he has twice favoured me with
the piteous tale of the very losses I myself brought upon him; and I
make no doubt that I shall hear in a few days, the whole history of
the departed diamond, now in my keeping, coupled with your honour's
appearance and custom. Allow that it would be a pity to suffer pride to
stand in the way of the talents with which Providence has blest me; to
scorn the little delicacies of art, which I execute so well, would, in
my opinion, be as absurd as for an epic poet to disdain the composition
of a perfect epigram, o