In the way of marketing, things are very good here, and considering, not
dear; but all is sold by the licht weight, only the fish are awful; half
a guinea for a cod's head, and no bigger than the drouds the cadgers
bring from Ayr, at a shilling and eighteenpence apiece.
Tell Miss Nanny Eydent that I have seen none of the fashions as yet; but
we are going to the burial of the auld king next week, and I'll write her
a particular account how the leddies are dressed; but everybody is in
deep mourning. Howsomever I have seen but little, and that only in a
manner from the window; but I could not miss the opportunity of a frank
that Andrew has got, and as he's waiting for the pen, you must excuse
haste. From your sincere friend, JANET PRINGLE.
LETTER VII
Andrew Pringle, Esq., to the Rev. Charles Snodgrass
LONDON.
MY DEAR FRIEND--It will give you pleasure to hear that my father is
likely to get his business speedily settled without any equivocation; and
that all those prudential considerations which brought us to London were
but the phantasms of our own inexperience. I use the plural, for I
really share in the shame of having called in question the high character
of the agents: it ought to have been warrantry enough that everything
would be fairly adjusted. But I must give you some account of what has
taken place, to illustrate our provincialism, and to give you some idea
of the way of doing business in London.
After having recovered from the effects, and repaired some of the
accidents of our voyage, we yesterday morning sallied forth, the Doctor,
my mother, and your humble servant, in a hackney coach, to Broad Street,
where the agents have their counting-house, and were ushered into a room
among other legatees or clients, waiting for an audience of Mr. Argent,
the principal of the house.
I know not how it is, that the little personal peculiarities, so amusing
to strangers, should be painful when we see them in those whom we love
and esteem; but I own to you, that there was a something in the demeanour
of the old folks on this occasion, that would have been exceedingly
diverting to me, had my filial reverence been less sincere for them.
The establishment of Messrs. Argent and Company is of vast extent, and
has in it something even of a public magnitude; the number of the clerks,
the assiduity of all, and the order that obviously prevails throughout,
give at the first sight, an impression that bespeaks respect for the
stability and integrity of the concern. When we had been seated about
ten minutes, and my father's name taken to Mr. Argent, an answer was
brought, that he would see us as soon as possible; but we were obliged to
wait at least half an hour more. Upon our being at last admitted, Mr.
Argent received us standing, and in an easy gentlemanly manner said to my
father, "You are the residuary legatee of the late Colonel Armour. I am
sorry that you did not apprise me of this visit, that I might have been
prepared to give the information you naturally desire; but if you will
call here to-morrow at 12 o'clock, I shall then be able to satisfy you on
the subject. Your lady, I presume?" he added, turning to my mother;
"Mrs. Argent will have the honour of waiting on you; may I therefore beg
the favour of your address?" Fortunately I was provided with cards, and
having given him one, we found ourselves constrained, as it were, to take
our leave. The whole interview did not last two minutes, and I never was
less satisfied with myself. The Doctor and my mother were in the
greatest anguish; and when we were again seated in the coach, loudly
expressed their apprehensions. They were convinced that some stratagem
was meditated; they feared that their journey to London would prove as
little satisfactory as that of the Wrongheads, and that they had been
throwing away good money in building castles in the air.