in advanced life with all the freshness, fragrance, and vigour
of the more youthful plants. Such," said Eglantine, "is the old
beau yonder, my friend Curtis, who is here quaintly denominated the
Everlasting.

[Illustration: page315]

The jolly Bacchanalian, who accompanies him in his morning's lounge, is
Charles Davis, a right jolly fellow, universally respected, although, it
must be admitted, he is a _party_ man, since in a ~316~~show of hands,
Charles must always, unfortunately, be on one side." A promenade up and
down the room, and a visit to the goddess Hygeia, for such, I suppose,
the ancient matron who dispenses the healing draught must be designated,
gave us an opportunity of observing the fresh arrivals, among whom we
had the pleasure to meet with an old naval officer, known to Heartly, a
victim to the gout, wheeled about in a chair, expecting, to use his own
sea phrase, to go to pieces every minute, but yet full of spirits as an
admiral's grog bottle, as fond of a good joke as a fresh-caught reefer,
and as entertaining as the surgeon's mate, or the chaplain of the fleet.
"I say, Master Heavtly," said the captain, "the frigate yonder with the
brown breast works, and she with the pink facings, look something like
privateers. My forelights, Master Heartly, but if I had the use of my
under works, I should be for firing a little grape shot across their
quarters to see if I could not bring them into action!" "And I will
answer for it, they would not show any objection to lie alongside of
you, captain," said Eglantine, "while you had got a shot left in your
locker. Mere Cyprian traders, captain, from the Gulf of Venus, engaged
in gudgeon bawling, or on the lookout for flat fish. The little craft,
with the black top, is called the Throgmorton; and the one alongside the
Ormsby of Berkeley is the Pretty Lacy, a prime frigate, and quite new
in the service. If you have a mind to sail up the Straits of Cytherea,
captain, I can answer for it we shall fall in with a whole fleet of
these light vessels, the two Sisters; the Emery's; the yawl, Thomson;
that lively little cutter, Jackson; the transports, King and Hill; the
lugger, Lewis; and the country ship, the Lady Grosvenor, all well found,
and ready for service, and only waiting to be well manned. A good story
is just now afloat about the Lacy, who, being recently taken up for
private trade by Commodore Bowen, was ~317~~discovered to be sailing
under false colours. It appe