The Ayrshire Legatees

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."