Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 324: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad. 965 being favoured with the rural queen's hand in the anticipated dance The mayor, the commissary of police, the justice of the peace, and the vicar were all seated near the altar, and close to the ot-box which was soon to decide the result of the election. Three or four Gendarmes were present to maintain order, and provide with seats those who were fortunate enough to be possessed of tickets; amongst which number were Mr. Pickwick and his several companions, Mr. Hook Walker having previously attended to that portion of the cere- mony. At about three o'clock, the election commenced; and when the ballot was examined by the above-named authorities, it was found that the choice had fallen upon Mademoiselle Pauline-Josephine- Jesu-Maria Tronquette, a tradesman’s daughter of about twenty years ofage. A lady of igh rank presented her with the crown of roses, and the dower; and she was then led by a grand procession towards the altar, where a priest pronounced his benediction upon her head. A subscription was opened amongst the numerous visitors, in order to increase the amount of the pecuniary honours thus awarded to the happy Mademoiselle Tronquette; and Mr. Pickwick has never been h to regret the generosity which prompted him to throw a Napo- leon into the plate which she herself handed round, The sweetest smile of a very sweet girl was his reward; and the five-franc pieces of his companions rattled in quick succession upon the silver dish, We find in Mr. Winkle’s note-book a memorandum, relative to this oc- casion, which induces us to believe that he was the individual to whom Mr, Hook Walker applied for the loan of the wherewith to supply his portion of the donation; and a similar entry in Mr. Pick- wick’s journal affords scope for the same inference with regard to Mr. Septimus Chitty. When the collection, verling of eli to about fifteen hundred franes, or sixty po sterling o ish money, was completed, the priest ascended the rostrum, and ptoceeded to deliver a ma elo- quent and excellent discourse; and to Mr. Scuttle’s kindness was Mr. ickwick indebted for the slight insight he obtained into its character. It is therefore from Mr. Pickwick’s note-book, that we have extracted the following brief summary of the rineipal topics touched upon by the reverend clergyman who officiated in the pulpit. The priest commenced by congratulating the queen-elect upon that circumspection and good conduct which had procured for her the honours she then wore. He next besought her companions to follow her example ; and proceeded to warn them st the many tempta- tions to which they were exposed in this world. The principal tempta- tion, he said, was Love; and it was the more ous, Inasmuch as it came in so many questionable shapes. He o ed that it was necessary to particularize the various kinds of Love to which they might yield. There was the Love arising from admiration—a very dangerous sort of Love; the Love arising from gratitude—a very suspicious sort of Love; the Love arising from continued neighbour- very natural sort of Love; the Love arising from pity—a very insinuating sort of Love; the Love arising from friendship—a very bastard sort of Love; anda thousand other kinds of Love, the Gomi q) DGe SS (c@