This was the keeping of a register-office, one of the first known in the Metropolis, whence he drew incalculable advantages.

He is also said to have been a dealer in hair, which he imported largely from the continent.

And yet,, after all, it is difficult to conceive how he could have realized a fortune exceeding 200,000L.! But what may not be achieved by a man who despised no gains, however small, and in his own expressive language, considered farthings as "the seeds of guineas!" The following appears to be a true description of this very extraordinary man, whom we ourselves have seen more than once:--"Old Courtois was well known for more than half a century in the purlieus of St.Martin's and the Haymarket.

His appearance was meagre and squalid, and his clothes, such as they were, were ~320~~ pertinaciously got up in exactly the same cut and fashion, and the colour always either fawn or marone.

For the last thirty years, the venerable chapeau was uniformly of the same cock.