Pickwickian Studies

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behaviour to their brethren: of his passing himself off as a gentleman, his wearing another gentleman's clothes, and his insults to Dr. Slammer. Tappleton scornfully recommended Mr. Pickwick to be more nice in the selection of his companions. No doubt Jingle was suggested to the officers by the manager: "knew a really smart chap who will just do for the part." On the whole, I think they must have had his services, as it was too late to get a substitute. Jingle, as we know, was played successfully by Sir Henry Irving in the early 'seventies, tempore Bateman. His extraordinary likeness to the Phiz portrait struck every one, a

le was "connected with the Theatre in that place, th

of the story, Boz, having forgotten the engagement, is driven to supply a far-fetched reason. He was Job's brother, and went to America "in consequence of being too much sought after here." It will be recollected he was of a depressed and gloomy cast, and on the Bridge at Rochester talked of suicide. He also told the dismal "stroller's tale." Now, it is plain that Boz drew him as a genuine character, and his behaviour to the stroller was of a charitable kind. Boz, in fact, meant him to be a suitable person to relate so dismal an incident. H

the corps. Jingle's jerky system of elocution would seem a complete disqualification. From sheer habit, it would have been impossi

t in the old days, on a walk from Gads Hill, when I paused to examine the bills of the benefit of a certain theatrical family of the Crummles sort-father,

, whom hounds a

ot from whence

s, my lengthened

n, and die at

d when I rehearsed t

gun on the cellars, and was gradually squeezing himself into the box-office, and would no doubt go on till he secured the a

firm belief at the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, that all the performers in "Nickleby" were personal sketches of this corps. One actor told my friend, Mr. Walter Pollock, that they could even identify Folair, Lenville & Co., and that there was a playbill still extant in which either the names or the pieces corresponded. But in this theory, however, little faith can be placed; for at the time

e was Richard in a very uncomfortable wig, and sleeping in war time on a sofa that was much too short for him, and his conscience fearfully troubled his boots." There was the lovely young woman, "who went out gleaning, in a narrow, white muslin apron, with five beautiful bars of five different colours across it. The witches bore an awful resemblance to the Thanes and other inhabitants of Scotland; while the good King Duncan couldn't rest in his grave, but was constantly coming out of it and calling h

Crummles and all the company died at him. And as in Nickleby we have "the Comic Countryman" who so inopportunely caught a bluebottle when Mrs. Crummles was making her great point for the London Manager: so in the account of Dullborough we are told of "the Funny

aphy. I have thought that much in "Nickleby" of Nicholas's career and Nicholas's own character was drawn from himself. Nicholas suggests Boz in appearance, in his spirit and vehemence, and in some of his adventures. Some years ago a remarkable letter appeared in the papers, in wh

a lane. There was a public clock in it which I had supposed to be the finest clock in the world, whereas it now turned out to be

The

t house-dear-very dear-half-a-crown if you look at the waiter, making a charge for dinner, all the same, if you dined out"; a practice, however, not altogether unknown to modern Hotels. It was bold in Boz, thus to publicly disparage Hotels that he did not approve. "Wright's" could not have relished so public an allusion. What or where was Wright's-"next house?" There is now-in the same High Street-"The King'

Boots, he gave the direction of his followers' bed-room, "next room but two on the right hand." Winkle's room was inside Tupman's-so we are shown a room in the front with another inside of it-and the thi

gle's Lo

he very easy terms on which he was "bought off"-a hundred and twenty pounds. Her fortune might be estimated at some thousands. He was really master of the situation. The lady was of mature age-her own mistress, Wardle and his attorney could do nothing to stop the business. He certainly might have held out for four or five hundred pounds. Perker's diplomacy was wretched, and hi

FitzMarshall, and taking with him, as his confederate, Job Hutley. There he got introduced to Nupkins, the Mayor, who presided at the election, and who had made his money in "the n

are met here to-day for the purpose of choosing a representative in the room of our late'-but the noise and interruptions prevented the rest of the speech being heard. Notwithstanding, he

, when the confusion and "row" grew fast and furious, our Mayor "issued imperative orders to twelve constables to seize the ringleaders, who migh

racked back to Bury by Mr. Pickwick. It is certainly fresh evidence of the identity of Eatanswill with Ipswich that Jingle should have appeared in both places as "Captain FitzMarshall." Once established in the Mayor's family, the insinuating Jingle devoted himself to the capture of the haughty and ill-natured Henrietta Nupkins, making his way into her good g

e school, and which was a fair retort

und from Bury in dread of pursuit, and with a view to throw Mr. Pickwick off the scent. The latter gentleman never dreamed that they were so near him, dismissed the whole matter, and returned to town to arrange about his a

o tell Mr. Pickwick that she knew nothing of the matter. He had also bribed the schoolmistress to tell the sa

ng him as he had so often threatened to do, merely bid him be at the Inn at eight o'clock. Why did he not bring him straight to Mr. Pickwick who was upstairs? Instead, he went up himself, told his master it wa

he Ga

eral at least would be in command. Then we may ask the question, why was not Dr. Slammer in uniform-always required in presence of a commander? It was wonderfully bold, too, on Boz's part to give the numbers of the regiments. Hon. Wilmot Snipe of the 97th, who was in full un

t at home on Review-day. The Officers were "running backwards and forwards," while Colonel Bulder was seen "gallopping" (with two p's) at large, "prancing and curvetting," that is, making his steed curvet. The operations were, however, not under his command, but directed by the "Commander-in-Chief," not, of course, of the Army, but, we may presume, the General of the district. His behaviour was the most extraordinary of all, for, instea

upset. Winkle received a bloody nose, after performing a compulsory somerset; then, at the same moment-wonder of wonders-we were told that the regiments were "half-a-thousand yards off,"-that is about a third of a mile away-all in a second! It is hard to understand why they were so maltreated. The

the box. The Pickwickians were actually summoned by the hearty Wardle to join. "Room for you all-two inside and one on the ox," where there was one already. All accepted the invitation, making ten persons in all who were accommodated in the Barouche! But this does not exhaust its wonders. When lunch time came round, wit

hem, affords a cheap and innocent amusement for the boy population-" (vide Mr. Pickwick's notes). The boy, no doubt, often witnessed the incident of the private, "drawing his bayonet, and stabbing the barmaid who had refused

ts doings, and out of the scant materials furnished, can really reconstruct the time and the place, and find ou