a
spirit that soared above orthography. A man unused to writing, in
the cares of composition, is pretty much in the predicament of a bad
horseman in a hunting-field. He has a vague, indistinct motion of
"where" he ought to go, without the smallest conception as to the "how."
He is balked or "pounded" at every step, always trying back, but never
by any chance hitting off the right road to his object.

Above a dozen sheets of paper lay half scrawled over before him after
two hours of hard labor, and there he still sat pondering over his
weary task. His scheme was simply this: to write a few lines to Dunn,
introducing his father-in-law, and instructing him to afford him all
information and details as to the circumstances of the Irish property,
it being his intention to establish Captain Davis in the position of
his agent in that country; having done which, and given to Grog to
read over, he meant to substitute another in its place, which other was
confidentially to entreat of Dunn to obtain some foreign and far-away
appointment for Davis, and by every imaginable means to induce him
to accept it. This latter document Dunn was to be instructed to burn
immediately after reading. In fact, the bare thought of what would
ensue if Davis saw it, made him tremble all over, and aggravated all the
difficulties of composition. Even the mode of beginning puzzled him,
and there lay some eight or ten sheets scrawled over with a single
line, thus: "Lord Lackington presents his compliments"--"The
Viscount Lackington requests"--"Lord Lackington takes the present
opportunity"--"Dear Dunn"--"Dear Mr. Dunn"--"My dear Mr. Dunn"--"Dear
D." How nicely and minutely did he weigh over in his mind the value to
be attached to this exordium, and how far the importance of position
counterbalanced the condescension of close intimacy! "Better be
familiar," said he, at last; "he 's a vulgar dog, and he 'll like it;"
and so he decided for "My dear Dunn."

"My dear Dunn,--As I know of your influence with the people in
power--too formal that, perhaps," said he, re-reading it--"as I know
what you can do with the dons in Downing Street--that 's far better--I
want you to book the bearer--no, that is making a flunkey of him--I
want you to secure me a snug thing in the Colonies--or better, a snug
Colonial appointment--for my father-in-law--no, for my friend--no,
for my old and attached follower, Captain Davis--that's devilish
well-rounded, 'old and attached fol