Paul Clifford

bald, whose l

anquet, and in

nd grandeur e

lose the master

rd the cheerful

ile of blan

the gracious

ove, and reverenc

aso, prefixed to the Twel

ind the haystack, they stretched themselves, and looking at each other, burst into

by hunger, then by fatigue, for self-gratulation; now they rubb

tus, "what you intend to do. I trust I have long ago convinced you that it is no sin 'to serve our frie

ur lectures on the subject; but I own to you frankly that, somehow or other, I

n relieving the necessities of the poor, you have done an excellent action. If, in afterwards dividing this money with your companions, you say you have been sharing booty, you have committed an offence against the laws of your country; but if you observe that you have been sharing with your friends the gains of your industry, you have

d Stephenson," so runs the extract, "the celebrated English banker, has just purchased a considerable tract of land," etc. Most philosophical of paragraphists! "Celebrated

so," ans

l, we only do what all other legislators do. We are never rogues so long as we call ourselves ho

, so are all the rest of the world. It is of no use to be the only white sheep of the flock. Wherefore, my dear Tomlinson, I wi

ell acquainted with; or, if you like to be suspicious, you may believe that I have brought you purposely in this direction. But first let me ask if you feel any great desire to pass th

ive my choice,

ally and generous patron of the lads of the cross. At certain periods they hold weekly meetin

mit me," returned Paul, whom many and

the truth, though we are a tolerant set, we welcome e

house is not

," answered Tomli

ode of the worthy publican was felicitously situated, and the scene in which his guests ce

name and character of "mine host;" and the all-knowing Au

r heard of Gen

ntry? To be sure I have, often; my poor nurse, Dame Lobk

emarkably smart-dressed fellow, and so he is to this day. He has a great deal of wit, is a very good whist-player, has a capital cellar, and is so fond of seeing his friends drunk, that he bought some time ago a large pewter measure in which six men can stand upright. The girls, or rather the old women, to which last he used to be m

s he ava

nvest all ours) in houses; and there's one confounded dog of a bricklayer who runs him up terrible bil

do you

ut we are near the place now

Gothic chimney, a Chinese sign-post (on which was depicted a gentleman fishing, with the words "The Jolly Angler" written beneath), and a porch that would have been Grecian if it had

s on the door. There was a sudden silence which lasted about a minute, and was broken by a voice within, asking w

d how is your master? Stout and he

back-parlour, with Mr. Pepper and Fighting Attie, and half-a-sco

rejoined Augustus, "while I go and

to the care of Sal, a buxom barmaid, who reflected credit on the taste of the

information that Gentleman George would be most happy to see him in the back-p

aul. "The sorry knave, to l

was not knavery; that was prudence, the greatest of all virtues,

t the top of the table, in an armchair, presided Gentleman George. That dignitary was a portly and comely gentleman, with a knowing look, and a Welsh wig, worn, as the "Morning Chronicle" says of his Majesty'

be thought irreverent in applying a few of the words by which the aforesaid "Morning Chronicle" depicted hi

t;" moreover, "he laughed most good-humouredly," as,

ome to the Jolly Angler! Give us thy hand, young

"I think it may first be as well to introduce

zing our hero's hand; and turning round in his elbow-chair, he poi

lls him; he's a devil on the road. 'Halt - deliver - must and shall - can't and sha' n't - do as I bid you, or go to the devil!' That's all Fighting Attie's palaver; and, 'Sdeath, it has a wonderful way of coming to the point! A famous cull is my friend Attie - an old soldier

h the veteran, without tak

press is not half such a good thing as it used to be formerly. You have no idea what a hand at disguising himself Scarlet Jem is. He has an old wig which he generally does business in; and you would not go for to know him again when he conceals himself under the wig. Oh, he's a precious rogue, is Scarlet Jem! As for the cove on t' other side," continued the host of the Jolly Angler, pointing to Long Ned, "a

well and his admission to the councils of Gentleman George. But Paul, mindful of that exertion of "prudence" on the part of Mr. Pepper by which he had been left to his fate and the mercy of Justice Burnflat, received his advances very sullenly. This coolness so incensed Ned, who was naturally choleric, that he turned his back on our hero, and being of an aristocratic spirit, muttered something about "upstart, and vulgar c

ed to the importance of the proposition, every one around heard it; and befo

rangling already? Harkye, gemmen, I have been plagued enough with your quarrels before now; and the first c

, march!" sa

per, if there be any ill blood 'twixt you and the lad there, wash it a

s hand to Paul. Our hero, being somewhat abashed by the novelty of his situation and the

the sums they had levied on the public, and the peculations they had committed for what one called the good of the community, and another, t

honest their enthusiasm for their own interests, you might have imagined you were list

eorgie, filling his glass; "it is by the commons

Long Ned; and the toast was

ht not be amiss; for it would decoy people into the belief that they might travel safely; and, after all,

ng ploughs are the ruin of us. Every blade of corn in a common is an encroachment on the constitution and rights of the gemmen highwaymen. I'm old, and may n't live to see these things; but, mark my w

tarted to his eyes. Gentleman George had a great horror of bl

; we're all met here to be merry, and not to listen to your mullancolly taratarantarum

one or two pretty excuses; these being drowned by a universal shout, the handsome pur

Ned's

hands adhe

at least

have the

r clothes

, since your

ur wants

it not to yi

a charmi

eman George, lighting his pipe, and winking at Attie; "

icantly, and then glancing at Attie, said, "Talking of lasses, it is my tu

ng," said t

per. "It is the law, and you

ttie," said Ge

ick and laconic manner, it being Attie's favourite dogma that th

g Attie

famed for d

obbed a s

h a lov

u might my co

r could

six, din

man wit

axims; if

m, to the r

n on the same side of the tabl

the bingo

, dusky,

ho loves a h

at me t

ross with la

hey laug

has money

h his wit

laugh at Jo

may lau

work when first published, like all political allusions, loses point and becomes obscure as the applications cease to be familiar. It is alre

NTLEMAN (in a

bingo's n

ign it yet,

eizing t

gn it - ceas

fiercely regarding t

signed it,

OR

signed it,

he brandy at a draught, resumed his pipe, and in as few words as possible called on Bagshot for a song. The excellent old highwayman

ags's

en gone, when o

shed o

test bosoms q

ice of

half undone, lest

Bags, but h

whole was

l the whole

ch paused, and th

e the

und which my gr

t,"- stil

ial days are

e tape

dead, you'll

or ol

To poor

llow's eye, he added: "Cheer up! What, ho! cheer up! Times will improve, and Providence may yet send us one good yea

ibility, the veteran knocked

of dignity, "I ought to skip, since I fi

n George

ld King

ove, the mer

x all the r

g cove, I th

at as a s

s great as a

noise as is m

r as they

noise my p

s the ras

long as the

cks my stones

I takes from

feel for the

blic-house t

he public-house

of the matter, and split my wig but I'm short of breath now. So send

part of the assailant, doubled his fist, and threatened to put the plaintiff's nob into chancery if he disturbed the peace of the meeting. Various other imaginary evils beset him. He thought he had robbed a mail-coach in company with Pepper; that Tomlinson informed against him, and that Gentleman George ordered him to be hanged; in short, he laboured under a temporary delirium, occasioned by a sudden reverse of fortune

er's Gra

lue ruin, fill

se as likes

he lush, it a

drinks a b

e crib, where a

t the traps shou

he mouth, and a

leman George -

him, God

leman George -

the prince I have

y have tip

r punch with th

h to rende

ch lush; but w

I'll be hanged

iddies - round,

leman George -

him, God

leman George,-

e fellow grows we

ye rascals

a peg! Are you

ie, go, lend

, each, under pretence of supporting him,

n me - at your

his elbow, y

et - them 'ere

leman George -

him, God

George, God help h