had a pretty good specimen from his
emporium myself, ~127~~which, I must ever remember, was at the risk of
my life.--"Do you observe that stout-looking gentleman yonder with large
red whiskers, in a drab surtout, like a stage coachman? that is the
Marquis of H-----------, one of the most fortunate gamblers (i.e.
speculators) of the present day: during the war his lordship acquired
considerable sums of money by acting on his priority of political
information, his policy being to make one of the party in power, without
holding office, and by this means be at liberty to act in the money
market as circumstances required: among the _roues_ of the west he
has not been less successful in games of chance, until his coffers
are crammed with riches; but it must be admitted he is liberal in
his expenditure, and often-times generous to applicants, particularly
sporting men, who seek his favours and assistance. The little club of
sage personages who are mustered together comparing notes, in the corner
of the Dutch Walk, are the paragraph-writers for the morning and evening
press; very potent personages here, I assure you, for without their kind
operation the public could never be gulled to any great extent. The
most efficient of the group is the elegant-looking tall man who has
just moved off to consult his patron, the Hebrew star, who gives all his
foreign information exclusively to the Leviathan of the press, of
which paper Mr. A-----------r is the representative. Next to him in
importance, information, and talent, is the reporter for the Globe
and Traveller, G--------s M--------e, a shrewd clever fellow, with
considerable tact for business. Mr. F--------y, of the Courier, stands
near him on his left; and if he does but little with the stocks, he does
that little well. The sandy-haired laddie with the high cheek bones and
hawk-like countenance is M'C-----------h, of the Chronicle, but a wee
bit of a _wastrell_ in Stock Exchange affairs; and the mild-looking
young gentleman who is in ~128~~conversation with him represents the
mighty little man of the Morning Herald. The rest of the public prints
are mostly supplied with Stock Exchange information by a bandy-legged
Jew, a very Solomon in funded wisdom, who pens paragraphs at a penny a
line for the papers, and puts into them whatever the projectors dictate,
in the shape of a puff, at per agreement. The knot of swarthy-looking
athletic fellows, many of whom are finger-linked together,