to a London house in the paper
and print line, yclept booksellers, introduced the English Spy and his
friend, the artist, to the scene here presented (see plate).

[Illustration: page249]

Reader, if you wish to make a figure among the Chelts and be thought
any thing of, you will, of course, domicile at the Plough; but if your
object is a knowledge of life, social conversation, a great variety
of character, and a never-failing fund of mirth and anecdote, join the
gentleman travellers who congregate at the Bell or the Fleece, where you
will meet with merry fellows, choice viands, good wine, excellent beds,
and a pretty chambermaid into the bargain. Your commercial man is
often a fellow of infinite jest, a travelling vocabulary of provincial
knowledge, and a faithful narrator of the passing events of the time.
Who can speak of the increasing prosperity, or calculate upon the
falling interests of a town, so well as your flying man of business 1
The moment he enters a new place he expects the landlord to be ready,
cap in hand, to welcome him; he first sees his horse into a stall, and
lectures the ostler upon the art of rubbing him down--orders boots to
~250~~bring in his travelling bags or his driving box, and bids the
waiter send the chambermaid to show him his bed-room--grumbles that it
is too high up, has no chimney in the apartment, or is situate over the
kitchen or the tap-room--swears a tremendous oath that he will order his
baggage to be taken to the next house, and frightens the poor girl into
the giving him one of the best bed-apartments, usually reserved for
the coffee-room company. Returning below, he abuses the waiter for
not giving him his letters, that have been waiting his arrival a week,
before he went up stairs--directs boots to be ready to make the circuit
of the town with him after dinner, carrying his pattern-books, perhaps
half a hundred-weight of Birmingham wares, brass articles, or patterns
of coffin furniture; and having thus succeeded in putting the whole
house into confusion, only to let them know that the Brummagem gentleman
has arrived on his annual visit to the Chelts, with a new stock of every
thing astonishing in the brass line, he places himself down at a side
table, to answer to his principals for being some days later on
his march than they had concluded--remits a good sum in bills and
acceptances, and adds thereunto a sheet of orders, that will suffice to
keep the firm in good temper for