The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- THR MYSTRRIEA just closed ° ithe mamoceble tiel of Warren Hastings was thea im progress: that of Hardy, Tooke, and Thelwall, the people's staunch cham ions, had recently termi- ested in « elorious The Habeas Corpus Act was suspended: for de- mocratic opinions were spreeding rapidly throughout England—and the doetrine of “the divine right of a was fafling to a miserable discount. The -Ministera were demanding more money to tarry an the war against France ;— Wilberforce was agitating the question of the slave-trade:—and the approaching marriage of the Prince of Wales with he Princess Caroline of Brunswick had been an- nounced to the nation. This rapid glance at the state of political a‘thirs will not only give the reader an idea of the interesting period at which our tale commences, but is likewise in certain points an indispensable prefhes to tise ix cidents that are to follow at was, then, in the beginning of January, 1786, and on a fine frosty evening, that a nomber of men, or commercial travellers, were assembled round e blazing fire and sipping their hot toddy in the room especially set apart “for their acoommodation at the George and Blue Boay, Holborn. .- Some of them were about to depart that very night dust returned frem long tours, and were felicitating themselves en the proupect of a few weeks’ holiday. Those who werwon the point of setting out, were already equipped to encounter ‘the nipping chill of | that the weather, savein respect to'their heavy great-coats which hung tothe pegs in the apartment; while those who had coms heme again, were indulging i the taxurious indvlensy of dressing-gowns and. alippers: The comeeruation was general : for the bag-mnan, fre- quenting that Cavern, were all well] known tc each other disposition asd frank hospitality of chuwoter soon ) placed him on terms of ease and familiarity. For “ Holloa, Page—<id fellow—hew'aw you?” @xdimed every voice simultaneously; and the this new arrival to the travellers already assembled at the George and Blue Boar. “ As well as ever, and as hungry as a hunter,” responded Mr. Page, who, by the assistance of the astive waiter, immediately began to extricate him- gelf from the mare of upper clothing which he wore. “But it io a precious sharp-evening, I can dell you! The roads are es hard as fron, and the ar ls what might be called quite <riep. Now,. in Paris, leaving the French Republic in the hands of the Jacobins and the Thermidorians ;— John,” he continued, as woollen article that had enveloped his neck, trrw» ing at the same time towards the waiter whom he thus addressed, “ get mea nice steak and oystce sauce; and send Boote with a pair of sliprere.* * Yes, sir,” replied the waiter, immodiately af. terwards disappearing to execute the commissions Boom was now made for Mr. Page near the fire; and, having taken his seat, he held his hands close to the cheerful grate until a genial warmth began to pervade his form. He was a man of about five- and-forty, with a thin, sallow, and angular counte- nance, small restless grey cyes, and a good set of teeth. His forehead was remarkably high, and his head was bald on the crown; but on each side the bushy iron grey hair stuck out, mingling with the whiskers which, of a somewhat darker hue, me¢t underneath his chin. His whole appearance gave the idea of one of that bustling kind of persens who are remarkably shrewd in matters of business arid. know tolerably well how to take care of “ Num- ber One.” “Where do you come from to-day, Page?” in- quired the commercial traveller who nad made - | room for him near the fire, and next to whom he was therefore seated. “I slept at Aylesbury last night, and started fo town at nine this morning,” was the answer “Forty good miles is not such a bad day’s work, take it: but you know that I don’t drive the worm bit of horse-flesh on the road. I’ve been out fee the last four months, and here not been igle, I can assure you. There are fowpinces in all the Mid- land counties that I have not visited; and I think that my governors, Hodson and Morley, will be pretty well satisfied wheu I call upon them in Wood Street to-morrow morning with all the fresh or- ders I have got and the monies I have collected.” ' “ Any news up Aylesbury way ?” asked one of the of cate, and which was at that moment revived in his memory. “I can’t sey that I ever saw Sir Richard, to my " answered the individual who had pre. viously speken:. “but I know him by name and all about him,.as well as we may be awaee of everything inthe life of King Geosgs hisseeli-without ever coor his- Majesty.” ‘hosing | “Thee: yous deabGenss cmmelder’ Six Richwd weultiey mas #” cxied: Mr “Those are precisely tits opinions I have formed of him,” was- tise reply. “His country seas is about theesaviies from Aylesbury ; and I never was in thas tows withows hearing the people speaking about him—aye, and mest favourably too. He is reported to spend a deal of mency in the piace, and todo a world of good in the shape of charity. Besides, he has a large uhare in Hamscy and Mar- tin’s bank, which is noted for the it affords the tradesmen of the town gud the far. mers in al] that district of Bucks.” “le n't it wouderfal,” exclaimed Page, his caliew he threw aside the large, COLT __) CO CLD OO