Some of their haunts, I mean those frequented by the elderly race, are
shabby enough in their appearance and circumstances, except perhaps in
the quality of the wine. Everything in them is regulated by an ancient
and precise economy, and you perceive, at the first glance, that all is
calculated on the principle of the house giving as much for the money as
it can possibly afford, without infringing those little etiquettes which
persons of gentlemanly habits regard as essentials. At half price the
junior members of these unorganised or natural clubs retire to the
theatres, while the elder brethren mend their potations till it is time
to go home. This seems a very comfortless way of life, but I have no
doubt it is the preferred result of a long experience of the world, and
that the parties, upon the whole, find it superior, according to their
early formed habits of dissipation and gaiety, to the sedate but not more
regular course of a domestic circle.
The chief pleasure, however, of living on the town, consists in
accidentally falling in with persons whom it might be otherwise difficult
to meet in private life. I have several times enjoyed this. The other
day I fell in with an old gentleman, evidently a man of some consequence,
for he came to the coffee-house in his own carriage. It happened that we
were the only guests, and he proposed that we should therefore dine
together. In the course of conversation it came out, that he had been
familiarly acquainted with Garrick, and had frequented the Literary Club
in the days of Johnson and Goldsmith. In his youth, I conceive, he must
have been an amusing companion; for his fancy was exceedingly lively, and
his manners altogether afforded a very favourable specimen of the old,
the gentlemanly school. At an appointed hour his carriage came for him,
and we parted, perhaps never to meet again.
Such agreeable incidents, however, are not common, as the frequenters of
the coffee-houses are, I think, usually taciturn characters, and averse
to conversation. I may, however, be myself in fault. Our countrymen in
general, whatever may be their address in improving acquaintance to the
promotion of their own interests, have not the best way, in the first
instance, of introducing themselves. A raw Scotchman, contrasted with a
sharp Londoner, is very inadroit and awkward, be his talents what they
may; and I suspect, that even the most brilliant of your old
class-fellows have, in their professional visits to this metropolis, had
some experience of what I mean.
ANDREW PRINGLE.
When Mr. Snodgrass paused, and was folding up the letter, Mrs. Craig,
bending with her hands on her knees, said, emphatically, "Noo, sir, what
think you of that?" He was not, however, quite prepared to give an
answer to a question so abruptly propounded, nor indeed did he exactly
understand to what particular the lady referred. "For my part," she
resumed, recovering her previous posture--"for my part, it's a very
caldrife way of life to dine every day on coffee; broth and beef would
put mair smeddum in the men; they're just a whin auld fogies that Mr.
Andrew describes, an' no wurth a single woman's pains." "Wheesht,
wheesht, mistress," cried Mr. Craig; "ye mauna let your tongue rin awa
with your sense in that gait." "It has but a light load," said Miss
Becky, whispering Isabella Tod. In this juncture, Mr. Micklewham
happened to come in, and Mrs. Craig, on seeing him, cried out, "I hope,
Mr. Micklewham, ye have brought the Doctor's letter. He's such a funny
man! and touches off the Londoners to the nines."