CHAPTER XXI.
"Happy the man, who void of cares and strife, In silken or in leathern purse retains A SPLENDID shilling! he nor hears with pain New oysters cried, nor sighs for cheerful ale; But I, whom griping penury surrounds, And hunger, sure attendant upon want, With scanty offal and small acid tiff, Wretched repast, my meagre corse sustain! Or solitary walk, or dose at home In garret vile!" TALKING over, at the breakfast-table, the occurrences of the preceding day--"On my conscience!" exclaimed Tallyho, "were the antediluvian age restored, and we daily perambulated the streets of this immense Metropolis during a hundred years to come, I firmly believe that every hour would bring a fresh accession of incident." "Ad infinitum," answered Dashall; "where happiness is the goal in view, and fifteen hundred thousand competitors start for the prize, the manouvres of all in pursuit of the grand ultimatum must ever exhibit an interesting and boundless variety.

London, ".

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the needy villain's general home, The common sewer of Paris and of Rome!" where ingenious vice too frequently triumphs over talented worth--where folly riots in the glare of luxury, and merit pines in indigent obscurity .-- Allons donc!--another ramble, and chance may probably illustrate my observation." "Take notice," said the discriminating Dashall to his friend, as they reached the Mall in St.James's Park, "of that solitary knight of the woeful countenance; his thread-bare raiment and dejected aspect, denote disappointment and privation;--ten imperial sovereigns to a plebeian ~328~~ shilling, he is either a retired veteran or a distressed poet." The object of curiosity, who had now seated himself, appeared to have attained the age of fifty, or more--a bat that had once been black--a scant-skirted blue coat, much the worse for wear--a striped waistcoat--his lank legs and thighs wrapt in a pair of something resembling trowsers, but "a world too wide for his shrunk shanks"-- short gaiters--shoes in the last stage of consumption--whiskers of full dimensions--his head encumbered with an unadjusted redundancy-of grey hair: such were the habiliments and figure of this son of adversity! The two friends now seated themselves on the same bench with the stranger, who, absorbed in reflection, observed not their approach.
The silence of the triumvirate was broken in upon by Tom, who, with his usual suavity of manners, politely addressed himself to the unknown, on the common topic of weather, _et cetera_, without eliciting in reply more than an assenting or dissenting monosyllable, "You have seen some service, Sir ?" "Yes." "In the army, I presume ?" "No." "Under Government ?" "Yes." "In the navy, probably ?" "No." "I beg your pardon," continued Dashall--"my motives originate not in idle inquisitiveness; if I can be of any service------" The stranger turned towards him an eye of inquiry.