eat talker, knew everybody in the place, and, like Mr. Pickwick, was an
old bachelor, and kept an important housekeeper. He was genial and
hospitable, would give parties, dinners, and dances. But the likeness in
physique was the oddest part.

As the outside of Foster, of Richmond, supplied Mr. Pickwick's outside
and habit as he lived, so his "in'ards," or character, was also turned to
profit and not wasted. And here suggests itself a very likely
speculation. This image of the Richmond Foster was before him; through
the book he thought of the old Beau and the ladies' protests. The
amorous element would not do for his hero, for whom he had other work;
but while he left the physique to Pickwick he certainly transferred the
_character_ to one of his leading figures. That this is not fanciful
will be seen. Mr. Chapman described Foster as "a fat old Beau": he was
very popular, or, it may be, exceedingly well off. And at a place like
Richmond he would be very _recherche_. But is it not exactly suggestive
of Tupman--this "fat old Beau" devoted to the ladies? ("Because you are
too old, sir; and too fat, sir," said his chief.) And on the first
opportunity he _did_ get into tights, viz., as the brigand. What is more
convincing is that at the close Boz sent Tupman back to Richmond whence
he came, and where we are carefully assured "he walks constantly on the
Terrace during the summer months with a youthful and jaunty air which has
rendered him the admiration of the numerous elderly dames of single
condition who reside in the vicinity." Seeing Mr. Foster's occupation, I
really think that this accounts for the novelist's selection of Richmond.

Mr. Chapman recalled that not even the persuasion of the Richmond ladies
could induce Mr. Foster, of Richmond, to forego his "tights" and
gaiters--and much amusement was caused by the idiosyncrasy. This
persistence, it is clear, was before Boz, who makes Mr. Pickwick abandon
his gaiters only at the Ball at Manor Farm, but we are distinctly told
"that it was the first time" he did so "within the memory of his oldest
friends." Thus we have Foster, of Richmond, brought into actual touch
with his double. Thus much for his physique, which, it is admitted, was
all that was drawn from Foster. But that friendly manner; that genial,
amiable nature which made him think "the whole world akin;" whence did
Boz import all that? I believe he found this genial, friendly type in
the very man