Pickwick Abroad: A Companion to the Pickwick Papers — page 153: what you’re looking at

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i avbasin of Julienne—that’s the difference between Birch’s and. Very’s.” Mr. Pickwick bestowed a stare of that kind of astonishment which would have been denominated stupid in connexion with any one save our immortal hero; and Mr. Wegsworth Muffley took a pinch of snuff. “ Have you been long in Paris, sir?” in- quired Mr. Tupman. “Only three days—and I leave to-mor- row,” was the reply. “ Of course you have been here before ?” continued Mr, ‘Tupman. . Mr. Muffley answered in the negative. “You will. be obliged then to return again, in order to complete your book,” said Mr. Tupman, _ “Oh! no,” cried Mr. Wegsworth Muff- ley: “I should be sorry indeed if I couldn't see enough in three days to make the finest two-volumed work imaginable. I staid to breakfast, for twenty minutes, at Abbeville, and intend to devote two chapters to that ate Versailles and St. Germain I shall not have time to visit; but Chitty has giv- en me a few hints about those places; and then, you know, with the aid of a book of Paris Views, illustrated with letter-press, we can concoct an excellent description of the principal buildings.” | “T thought it was a much more difficult thing to write a book of travels,” observed Mr. Tupman, meekly. © | “ Super levum—over the left,’ cried Mr. Chitty. . . “The grand secret is to be as spiteful and malevolent against the city or country you wr'te about, as possible,” explained Mr. Muffley, “and then your book is sure to sell. Flatter the vanity of the English by depreciating foreign institutions and crying up their own, and you will be certain to succeed. Tell the real truth, and no one will recommend your work. But if you will just step into this café, I can show you some of the very important notes I have already made upon France and the French.” When the little party were seated at a table in the café to which Mr. Wegsworth Muffley pointed, that gentleman produced his memorandum-book, and read the fol- lowing curious facts and observations: e NOTES FROM THE PRIVATE MBMORANDA OF WEGSWORTH MUFFLEY, ESQ. \ Boulogne.—Saw two little boys in the streets playing at marbles: thence sur- PIGK WICK ABROAD. mised that all French boys are cf a lively and happy disposition. Met a yuung lady with red hair: the inferenée is, that the French ladies in general have red*hain Saw a donkey throw its rider off its back into the gutter: supposed that all French don- keys are more stubborn and obstinate than those of any other part of the world. _Ob- served that a tailor, who was carrying home a suit of clothes to a customer, was hump- backed: must remember to notice in my book, as a curious coincidence, that nine tailors out of ten are hump-backed in this country. Was accidentally knocked down by a porter: it will be a good observation to make that French politeness is all non- sense. A bbeville—Excellent breakfast at the hotel where the diligence stopped: the in- ference is, that all the hotels are good at Abbeville. Saw a furious bullock running through the streets: Abbeville is thinly populated, then, in consequence of the in- flux of mad bulls into the city. Whilewe , were at breakfast, a gentleman committed suicide by throwing himself out of a three- pair window: thence concluded, that the people of this part of France are peculiarly addicted to ending their days by precipita- ting themselves from the “ ‘T'arpeian rocks” of three-pair windows. | Beawais——The———regiment of light infantry is stationed in this town. Met one of the soldiers; he was excessively ugly; inferred, as a remarkable coincidence to be mentioned under the head of “ Army,” that, all French soldiers are ugly. Might even go farther, and state that all continental sol- diers are ugly. The observation w_ll sell a few copies amongst the English officers, and get the work favorably spoken of at the mess of English regiments. Happy idea, this! Two old women got into the dili- gence at Beauvais: mem.—extraoreinary fact, that Beauvais abounds in old women who undertake frequent journeys to Paris. Saint Denis:—Saw a mad-dog, without a tail: the dogs of Saint Denis are, perhaps, prone to insanity, and when affected by that 7, malady, lose their tails. : Paris.—Shall place my memoranda, made in Paris, under their proper heads; as fol- lows :— FINE ARIS. Pictures here are yery cheap. You can purchase plenty at one or two sous each on the different quays. Nine out of ten are 139. COMICoOoOoksS. CO