The Mysteries of the Court of London by Pauline Clarendon — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

156 THE COURT OF LONDON to induce all the friends and acquaintances of his Royal Highness to treat that useful individual as an equal. It was true that Tim loved a lark above all things, and did not much mind on whom he played off his practical jokes; but no one dared to frown on one who basked in the smiles of royalty, and thus Mr. Meagles was not only tolerated in fashionable life, but actually courted. At the time when we introduce him to our readers he had been about three years on this footing of intimacy with the prince, who had picked him up at some race-course. What he was previously, we are at present unable to state; but this much we can aver in his favour, that however poor his origin might have been, he never boasted of either birth or wealth. Indeed, he possessed no ostensible source of income, beyond the remuneration which he received from the prince and the money he picked up by betting, gambling, and similar pursuits. At the same time, no one could utter a word against his character, although prudent fathers and mothers who possessed marriageable daughters did not look very well pleased if the young ladies happened to flirt with Mr. Timothy Meagles. Such was the gentleman whom the prince was expecting to breakfast on the morning of which we are writing. But who was the companion of Mr. Meagles on this occasion? We will enlighten our readers on that point, and then pursue the continuous thread of our narrative. Gomicbooks (Ele)