Old Drury, who has obtained great
notoriety for a pretty face, a roving eye, a fine set of
teeth, a mellow voice, and an excessive penchant for
appearing before the public in breeches--Macheath and Don
Giovanni to wit. 'Mr. B.,' the gentleman under whose
protection she is living, or rather was living, is a
gentleman of large West India possessions, who some time ago
immortalized himself in a duel about a worthless woman, with
Lord C--If--d, in which duel he had the honour of sending
his lordship to his account with all his 'imperfections on
his head.' The third party, 'Lord P.,' is a nobleman, whose
chief points are a queer-shaped hat, long shirt sleeves,
exquisitely starched, very white gloves, a very low
cabriolet, and a Lord George Gordon-ish affectation of
beard. We do not know that he is distinguished for any thing
else. For the fourth party--the young lady's mamma, she is,--
what she is; a rather elderly personage, remarkably
commodious, very discreet, 'and all that sort of thing.'
We could not help admiring her commodiousness when she
accompanied Lord P. and her daughter to Drury-lane Theatre,
the last time the King was there. It was almost equal to his
Lordship's assiduity, and the young lady's _ennui_.

~~343~~~ his Lordship is displeased with no part of the eclat, except the
quiz that his liberal offer of L500. would be about L25. per annum, or
9s. 7d. a week--a cheap purchase of a young lady's honour, and therefore
a good bargain."

"I believe," continued Sparkle, "there is little about him, either as to
person or to character, which entitles him to occupy more of our time,
which may be better devoted to more agreeable and deserving subjects."

"Apropos," said Dashall, taking Sparkle at his word, "do you observe a
person on the other side of the way with a blue nose and a green coat,
cut in the true jockey style, so as to render it difficult to
ascertain whether he is a gentleman or a gentleman's groom? That is Mr.
Spankalong, who has a most unconquerable attachment to grooms, coachmen,
and stable assistants; whose language and manners it is one of the
principal studies of his life to imitate. He prides himself on being a
good driver of four in hand, and tickling the tits along the road in a
mail carriage, is the _ne plus ultra_ of his ambition. He will take a
journey of an hundred miles out of town, m