Pickwick Abroad: or, The Tour in France — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

Pickwick Abroad. 133 I shall have the pleasure of reading a little more to you. Joking apart, however, what do you really think of the opening scene ?” “Very fine,’ returned Mr. Pickwick. ‘‘ But I faney you have written some other poems, have you not, Sir ?’”’ “Bless you!” exclaimed Mr. Septimus Chitty; “ why—I have had as much as three pounds seventeen and sixpence at a time from Warren—and very frequently, two sovereigns from Rowland.” “‘ Indeed !” said Mr. Pickwick, quite delighted. ‘Oh! yes,” persisted Mr. Chitty. ‘‘ Have you never heard my truly original song, explanatory of the origin of hair-trunks ?” Mr. Pickwick did not for one moment suffer himself to be influenced by any sentiment of vain glory or conceit: he therefore, with unex- ampled candour and frankness, confessed his ignorance of the ode in question, and, to demonstrate his sincerity, requested Mr. Chitty to repeat it. The poet nodded an assent, and recited, with befitting solemnity and grandeur of emphasis, the following remarkable lines. THE ORIGIN OF HAIR-TRUNKS. In a carpenter’s work-shop a box of deal wood For many long years had in idleness stood :— Neglected and dusty, the old piece of lumber | Seem’d destin’d for naught save the shelves to encumber. But fortunes may vary. A servant one day Call’d in at the shop, a few shillings to pay, And thoughtlessly placed near the box on the shelf A bottle of oil he had bought for himself. A ‘couple of urchins, on mischief intent, To that very same spot in their gambollings went ; And, breaking the bottle, they sprinkled the oil ‘On a box that they fancied no frolic could spoil. Next morning—Oh ! strange—on the shelf, what was there? A beautiful trunk cover’d over with hair !— Its duty, indeed, the Macassar had done, Produced by the genius of Rowland and Son. ‘“‘ You don’t mean to say that that’s true, do you?” enquired Mr, Winkle, when Mr. Chitty had thus brought his composition to a con- clusion, ‘‘ As true as you are sitting there, Sir,”’ responded the poet, ina tone of mingled indignation and contempt—the former to think that so very natural an incident should be for a moment questioned; and the latter on account of Mr. Winkle’s ignorance. The matter was set at rest by Mr. Boozie, whe declared that he was well acquainted with the carpenter himself; and as he forgot—for the first time in his life —to contradict his assertion five minutes after he had given utterance to it, no doubt remained as to the truth of the tale. Mr. Chitty there- fore rose considerably in the esteem of the sagacious travellers whom he thus’gratuitously entertained. ““T think,” said Mr. Pickwick, after a pause, “ that you had some request to make to me, concerning the Drama of which you just now favoured us with a portion ?” CORNICLOOOKS (CO)