The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

262 THE COURT OF LONDON rakishly into the breeches pocket, and the reader may form an idea of the pretty figure which his Royal Highness cut upon the present occasion. Jocelyn was grieved as well as astonished. Yes, grieved, because he felt how deplorable was the political system that gave the country a beastly sensualist to rule over it; grieved, because his own noble spirit as a man was shocked at behold- ing the utter degradation of one who had such golden oppor- tunities of being the brightest ornament of his species; grieved, too, because he saw, all in an instant, how utterly useless were the pains he had taken to procure this interview. “Well — eh — sir-rah, wha-a-t the deu-eu-ce has brought you here, eh? ’’ faltered the prince, as he staggered up to Jocelyn, and then stood reeling, inclining, bending, and tottering, as if he were endeavouring to balance himself upon a tight-rope. ‘‘So you sent me — hic — a note-ote — eh? — beg-eg-ging an inter— what the devil d’ye call it — hic — inter-view — that’s it. Well-el— now you’ve got your wish — ish — and so out with it — hic — hic — damn this floor —it’s so uneven—I can’t keep-eep — my — my — bal — al — alance! ”’ And after several vain and ineffectual endeavours to keep his footing, and many noddings and bobbings of the head, the first gentleman in Europe tumbled heavily upon the carpet. Jocelyn’s prompt impulse was to rush to his aid and lift the fallen prince, but at the same moment his Royal Highness threw up the contents of his stomach all over himself and the carpet, and Jocelyn, ineffably disgusted, turned away, rang the bell violently, and quitted the room. On the following morning, Jocelyn called upon the Princess Sophia, with whom he remained in deep consultation for upwards of an hour; and on taking his leave he returned to the hotel in Covent Garden, where he was in the habit of taking up his quarters when in London. There he penned a long letter, which he addressed to Lady Sackville, and which he forthwith despatched to Carlton House. He then ordered a post-chaise, and by ten o’clock in the evening once more entered the ancient city of Canterbury. * Gomicbdooks (E(0)