r morals, manners, and
conversation!

My soul was filled, then, with a gentle yearning pity for Pogson,
and revolved many plans for his rescue: none of these seeming to be
practicable, at last we hit on the very wisest of all, and determined to
apply for counsel to no less a person than Major British.

A blessing it is to be acquainted with my worthy friend, little Major
British; and heaven, sure, it was that put the Major into my head, when
I heard of this awkward scrape of poor Fog's. The Major is on half-pay,
and occupies a modest apartment au quatrieme, in the very hotel which
Pogson had patronized at my suggestion; indeed, I had chosen it from
Major British's own peculiar recommendation.

There is no better guide to follow than such a character as the
honest Major, of whom there are many likenesses now scattered over the
Continent of Europe: men who love to live well, and are forced to
live cheaply, and who find the English abroad a thousand times easier,
merrier, and more hospitable than the same persons at home. I, for my
part, never landed on Calais pier without feeling that a load of sorrows
was left on the other side of the water; and have always fancied that
black care stepped on board the steamer, along with the custom-house
officers at Gravesend, and accompanied one to yonder black louring
towers of London--so busy, so dismal, and so vast.

British would have cut any foreigner's throat who ventured to say so
much, but entertained, no doubt, private sentiments of this nature; for
he passed eight months of the year, regularly, abroad, with headquarters
at Paris (the garrets before alluded to), and only went to England for
the month's shooting, on the grounds of his old colonel, now an old
lord, of whose acquaintance the Major was passably inclined to boast.

He loved and respected, like a good staunch Tory as he is, every one
of the English nobility; gave himself certain little airs of a man of
fashion, that were by no means disagreeable; and was, indeed, kindly
regarded by such English aristocracy as he met, in his little annual
tours among the German courts, in Italy or in Paris, where he never
missed an ambassador's night: he retailed to us, who didn't go, but were
delighted to know all that had taken place, accurate accounts of the
dishes, the dresses, and the scandal which had there fallen under his
observation.

He is, moreover, one of the most useful persons in society that can
possibly be; for