Mr.
Belcher, in his visits to the city, had frequented theaters and admired the villains of the plays he had seen represented.

He had noticed figures upon the boards that reminded him of his own.

His addresses to his mirror afforded him an opportunity to exercise his gifts of speech and action, and, at the same time, to give form to his self-gratulations.

They amused him; they ministered to his preposterous vanity.

He had no companions in the town, and the habit gave him a sense of society, and helped to pass away his evenings.