nothing
to do but to send a letter to a Register-office, and you are suited in
a twinkling. It was an excellent idea, and I remember the old Buck who
used to call himself the founder of establishments of that nature, or
rather the first introducer of them to the notice of Englishmen, poor
old Courtois."

John Courtois is said to have been a native of Picardy, where he was
born about the year 1737 or 1738. He repaired to this country while yet
young, in the character of _valet de chambre_ to a gentleman who had
picked him up in his travels; and, as he came from one of the poorest
of the French provinces, he "took root," and throve wonderfully on his
transplantation to a richer soil.

On the death of his master, he removed to the neighbourhood of the
Strand; and St. Martin's Street,. Leicester Square, became the scene of
his industry and success. At a time when wigs were worn by boys, and a
Frenchman was supposed the only person capable of making one fit "for
the grande monarque," he commenced business as a perruquier, and
soon acquired both wealth and celebrity. To this he joined another
employment, which proved equally lucrative and appropriate, as it
subjected both masters and servants to his influence. This was the
keeping of a register-office, one of the first known in the Metropolis,
whence he drew incalculable advantages. He is also said to have been a
dealer in hair, which he imported largely from the continent. And yet,,
after all, it is difficult to conceive how he could have realized a
fortune exceeding 200,000L.! But what may not be achieved by a man who
despised no gains, however small, and in his own expressive language,
considered farthings as "the seeds of guineas!"

The following appears to be a true description of this very
extraordinary man, whom we ourselves have seen more than once:--"Old
Courtois was well known for more than half a century in the purlieus of
St. Martin's and the Haymarket. His appearance was meagre and squalid,
and his clothes, such as they were, were ~320~~ pertinaciously got up in
exactly the same cut and fashion, and the colour always either fawn or
marone. For the last thirty years, the venerable chapeau was uniformly
of the same cock. The principal feat, however, in which this fervent
votary of Plutus appeared before the public, was his nearly fatal affair
with Mary Benson, otherwise Mrs. Maria Theresa Phepoe. In April 1795,
this ill-fated-woman projected a rather bungling s