n rival him in a good
horse, a long run, or as a lively companion. Tom is married to the
sister of Bartley, the comedian, and carries with him into private life
the estimation which ever attends him in public. For a rum story, a
bit of real life, or a roguish joke, who shall excel Jack Bedford? And
then, if your honour would knock the balls about, why "Jack's the
lad" to accommodate you. And little Bill Hall, who keeps the Kingston
billiard-rooms, will be most happy to make his best bow to you without
any view to the mace. But, i' faith, I am sketching away here in
Sportsman's Hall at old Matthew Temple's, and could continue so to do
for another chapter; forgetting, as Transit says, that we have yet to
traverse the whole city of Bath through, spying into the vagaries and
varieties of the more polished, and taking a slight occasional glance
at the lowest grade of society, in order to diversify and keep up the
chiaroscuro of our pictures.

[Illustration: page303]

Merry reader, for such I hope thou art, we have now travelled on for
nearly two years together; and many a varied scene in life's pilgrimage
have we set before you, from the gilded dome of royalty to the humble
shed of the Emeralder; but our visit to Bath will afford you a richer
treat than aught that has yet preceded it. It was when the party broke
up at Temple's, and that was not before the single admonition of old
father Time had sounded his morning bell, that a few _bon vivants_
of the Castle, accompanied by the English Spy and his merry friends,
sallied forth in quest of strange adventure; for it must be admitted,
that in the elegant city

"Candles and ladies' eyes oft shine most bright,
When both should be extinguish'd for the night."

A fancy ball at the Upper Rooms on this night had attracted all the
elegance, fashion, and beauty to be found within the gay circle of
pleasure, and thither ~304~~we bent our steps, having first provided
ourselves with the necessary introductions. The scene above all others
in the fascination of gay life and the display of female charms is
a fancy ball; a species of entertainment better suited to the modest
character of our countrywomen than the masquerade, and, in general, much
better liked in this country, where the masked entertainment, unless in
private, is always avoided by females of rank and character. One of
the most amusing scenes which first presented itself to our notice
on approaching the