stion."

This being briefly explained, together with the absolute necessity there
was for his leaving town without delay--

"Now," said he, "I am at liberty to give you a sketch of circumstances
which have befallen me since I saw you last."

"Come then," said Dashall, "we will proceed to Piccadilly, spend a
comfortable afternoon, and ship you off by the mail from the White Horse
Cellar at eight o'clock."

"With all my heart," was the reply. "Well, now you must understand, I am
a sort of dabbler in professions. I was liberated from the high wall
of the Priory by the Insolvent Debtor's Act; and since the unfortunate
representation to the Old Boy, which deprived me of the needful
supplies, I have tried my hand in three different ways."

"And which are they?"

"Love, law, and literature," continued Merry well.

"A very pretty combination," said Dashall, "and are you able to make
them blend comfortably together?"

~~259~~~ "Nothing more easy in the world. In the first place, a lady has
taken a fancy to me, which fancy I am willing to indulge; in return for
which she provides me with every indulgence.--I profess to be principal
in the office of a" lawyer of established practice, who suffers me to
share in the profits of such business as I can obtain. In the way of
literature I have as yet done but little, though I am encouraged to hope
much, from the success of others. Indeed I am told, if I can but write
libels for John Bull, I may make a rapid fortune."

"And when so made," said Sparkle, "I shall wish you well with it; but I
think the speculation I have already named much more likely to turn out
equal to your wishes, and more consonant with your feelings, than the
pursuit of either of those you have mentioned."

"There I agree perfectly with you; and if I can make all right with the
old gentleman, a fig for all the rest of my occupations: but you know I
always liked independence, and if I could not get a fortune ready made,
I had a desire to be the architect of one I should raise for myself."

"Why I know you have generally borne the character of a man of genius."

"Yes, and a deal my character did for me after quitting the walls. Why
man, I happened to hear of a vacancy in a city parish school, for which
I ventured to conceive myself duly qualified, and therefore determined
to make application to the churchwardens, one of whom had the character
of being a man of great power, and was said to be the first in his