I can recollect, when I was a gyp at Cambridge, that the "men" used to have breakfast-parties for the very same purpose; and the exhibition of the morning acted infallibly upon the stomach, and caused the young students to eat with much voracity.
Well, Mrs.Catherine, a handsome, well-dressed, plump, rosy woman of three or four and thirty (and when, my dear, is a woman handsomer than at that age ?), came in quite merrily from her walk, and entered the back-parlour, which looked into a pleasant yard, or garden, whereon the sun was shining very gaily; and where, at a table covered with a nice white cloth, laid out with some silver mugs, too, and knives, all with different crests and patterns, sat an old gentleman reading in an old book.
"Here we are at last, Doctor," said Mrs.Hayes, "and here's his speech." She produced the little halfpenny tract, which to this day is sold at the gallows-foot upon the death of every offender.

"I've seen a many men turned off, to be sure; but I never did see one who bore it more like a man than he did." "My dear," said the gentleman addressed as Doctor, "he was as cool and as brave as steel, and no more minded hanging than tooth-drawing." "It was the drink that ruined him," said Mrs.Cat.
"Drink, and bad company.

I warned him, my dear,--I warned him years ago: and directly he got into Wild's gang, I knew that he had not a year to run.

Ah, why, my love, will men continue such dangerous courses," continued the Doctor, with a sigh, "and jeopardy their lives for a miserable watch or a snuff-box, of which Mr.Wild takes three-fourths of the produce?
But here comes the breakfast; and, egad, I am as hungry as a lad of twenty." Indeed, at this moment Mrs.Hayes's servant appeared with a smoking dish of bacon and greens; and Mr.Hayes himself ascended from the cellar (of which he kept the key), bearing with him a tolerably large jug of small-beer.

To this repast the Doctor, Mrs.Springatt (the other lodger), and Mr.and Mrs.Hayes, proceeded with great alacrity.