owered by
the ~322~~compliment; while your humble servant, less obsequious,
but equally conscious of the flattering honour, advanced my left foot
sideways, drew up my right longitudinally, and touched my beaver with a
_congee_, that convinced me I had not forgotten the early instructions
of our old Eton posture-master, the all-accomplished Signor Angelo. "A
__wery hextonishing vurk, this here pier," said a fat, little squab of
a citizen, sideling up to Crony like a full-grown porpoise; "_wery
hexpensive_, and _wery huseless, I thinks_" continued the intruder.
Crony reared his crest in silent indignation, while his visage betokened
an approaching storm; but a significant look from the countess gave him
the hint that some amusement might be derived from the _animal_; who,
without understanding the contempt he excited, proceeded--"_Vun_ of the
new _bubble_ companies' _specks, I supposes, vat old daddy Boreas vill
blow avay sum night in a hurrikin_. It puts me _wery_ much in mind of
a two bottle man." "Why so?" said Crony. "Bekause it's only half seas
_hover_." This little civic _jeu d'esprit_ made his peace with us by
producing a hearty laugh, in which he did not fail to join in unison.
"But are you aware of the usefulness and national importance of the
projector's plans? said Crony. "Not I," responded the citizen: "I hates
all projections of breweries, bridges, buildings, and boring companies,
from the Golden-lane speck to the Vaterloo; from thence up to the new
street, and down to the tunnel under the Thames, vich my banker, Sir
William Curtis, says, is the greatest bore in London." "But humanity,
sir," said Crony, "has, I hope, some influence with you; and this
undertaking is intended not only for the healthful pleasure of the
Brighton visitors, but for the convenience of vessels in distress, and
the landing of passengers in bad weather." "Ay, there it is,--that's
hexactly vat I thought; to help our rich people more easily out of
~323~~the country, and bring a set of poor half-starved foreigners in:
vy, I'm told it's to be carried right across the channel in time, and
then the few good ones ve have left vill be marching off to the enemy."
This conceit amused the countess exceedingly, and was followed by many
other equally strange expressions and conjectures; among which, Crony
contrived to persuade him that great amusement was to be derived in
bobbing for mackerel and turbot with the line: a pleasure combining so
much of