sketches of young gentlemen-第2部分

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going　to　walk　away　without；　until　a　great　roar　from　a　carter

attracts　his　attention；　when　he　picks　it　up；　and　tries　to　smile

cheerfully　to　the　young　ladies；　who　are　looking　back；　and　who；　he

has　the　satisfaction　of　seeing；　are　all　laughing　heartily。



At　a　quadrille　party；　the　bashful　young　gentleman　always　remains　as

near　the　entrance　of　the　room　as　possible；　from　which　position　he

smiles　at　the　people　he　knows　as　they　come　in；　and　sometimes　steps

forward　to　shake　hands　with　more　intimate　friends：　　a　process　which

on　each　repetition　seems　to　turn　him　a　deeper　scarlet　than　before。

He　declines　dancing　the　first　set　or　two；　observing；　in　a　faint

voice；　that　he　would　rather　wait　a　little；　but　at　length　is

absolutely　compelled　to　allow　himself　to　be　introduced　to　a

partner；　when　he　is　led；　in　a　great　heat　and　blushing　furiously；

across　the　room　to　a　spot　where　half…a…dozen　unknown　ladies　are

congregated　together。



'Miss　Lambert；　let　me　introduce　Mr。　Hopkins　for　the　next

quadrille。'　　Miss　Lambert　inclines　her　head　graciously。　　Mr。

Hopkins　bows；　and　his　fair　conductress　disappears；　leaving　Mr。

Hopkins；　as　he　too　well　knows；　to　make　himself　agreeable。　　The

young　lady　more　than　half　expects　that　the　bashful　young　gentleman

will　say　something；　and　the　bashful　young　gentleman　feeling　this；

seriously　thinks　whether　he　has　got　anything　to　say；　which；　upon

mature　reflection；　he　is　rather　disposed　to　conclude　he　has　not；

since　nothing　occurs　to　him。　　Meanwhile；　the　young　lady；　after

several　inspections　of　her　BOUQUET；　all　made　in　the　expectation

that　the　bashful　young　gentleman　is　going　to　talk；　whispers　her

mamma；　who　is　sitting　next　her；　which　whisper　the　bashful　young

gentleman　immediately　suspects　（and　possibly　with　very　good　reason）

must　be　about　HIM。　　In　this　comfortable　condition　he　remains　until

it　is　time　to　'stand　up；'　when　murmuring　a　'Will　you　allow　me？'　he

gives　the　young　lady　his　arm；　and　after　inquiring　where　she　will

stand；　and　receiving　a　reply　that　she　has　no　choice；　conducts　her

to　the　remotest　corner　of　the　quadrille；　and　making　one　attempt　at

conversation；　which　turns　out　a　desperate　failure；　preserves　a

profound　silence　until　it　is　all　over；　when　he　walks　her　twice

round　the　room；　deposits　her　in　her　old　seat；　and　retires　in

confusion。



A　married　bashful　gentleman　…　for　these　bashful　gentlemen　do　get

married　sometimes；　how　it　is　ever　brought　about；　is　a　mystery　to　us

…　a　married　bashful　gentleman　either　causes　his　wife　to　appear　bold

by　contrast；　or　merges　her　proper　importance　in　his　own

insignificance。　　Bashful　young　gentlemen　should　be　cured；　or

avoided。　　They　are　never　hopeless；　and　never　will　be；　while　female

beauty　and　attractions　retain　their　influence；　as　any　young　lady

will　find；　who　may　think　it　worth　while　on　this　confident　assurance

to　take　a　patient　in　hand。







THE　OUT…AND…OUT　YOUNG　GENTLEMAN







Out…and…out　young　gentlemen　may　be　divided　into　two　classes　…　those

who　have　something　to　do；　and　those　who　have　nothing。　　I　shall

commence　with　the　former；　because　that　species　come　more　frequently

under　the　notice　of　young　ladies；　whom　it　is　our　province　to　warn

and　to　instruct。



The　out…and…out　young　gentleman　is　usually　no　great　dresser；　his

instructions　to　his　tailor　being　all　comprehended　in　the　one

general　direction　to　'make　that　what's…a…name　a　regular　bang…up

sort　of　thing。'　　For　some　years　past；　the　favourite　costume　of　the

out…and…out　young　gentleman　has　been　a　rough　pilot　coat；　with　two

gilt　hooks　and　eyes　to　the　velvet　collar；　buttons　somewhat　larger

than　crown…pieces；　a　black　or　fancy　neckerchief；　loosely　tied；　a

wide…brimmed　hat；　with　a　low　crown；　tightish　inexpressibles；　and

iron…shod　boots。　　Out　of　doors　he　sometimes　carries　a　large　ash

stick；　but　only　on　special　occasions；　for　he　prefers　keeping　his

hands　in　his　coat　pockets。　　He　smokes　at　all　hours；　of　course；　and

swears　considerably。



The　out…and…out　young　gentleman　is　employed　in　a　city　counting…

house　or　solicitor's　office；　in　which　he　does　as　little　as　he

possibly　can：　　his　chief　places　of　resort　are；　the　streets；　the

taverns；　and　the　theatres。　　In　the　streets　at　evening　time；　out…

and…out　young　gentlemen　have　a　pleasant　custom　of　walking　six　or

eight　abreast；　thus　driving　females　and　other　inoffensive　persons

into　the　road；　which　never　fails　to　afford　them　the　highest

satisfaction；　especially　if　there　be　any　immediate　danger　of　their

being　run　over；　which　enhances　the　fun　of　the　thing　materially。　　In

all　places　of　public　resort；　the　out…and…outers　are　careful　to

select　each　a　seat　to　himself；　upon　which　he　lies　at　full　length；

and　（if　the　weather　be　very　dirty；　but　not　in　any　other　case）　he

lies　with　his　knees　up；　and　the　soles　of　his　boots　planted　firmly

on　the　cushion；　so　that　if　any　low　fellow　should　ask　him　to　make

room　for　a　lady；　he　takes　ample　revenge　upon　her　dress；　without

going　at　all　out　of　his　way　to　do　it。　　He　always　sits　with　his　hat

on；　and　flourishes　his　stick　in　the　air　while　the　play　is

proceeding；　with　a　dignified　contempt　of　the　performance；　if　it　be

possible　for　one　or　two　out…and…out　young　gentlemen　to　get　up　a

little　crowding　in　the　passages；　they　are　quite　in　their　element；

squeezing；　pushing；　whooping；　and　shouting　in　the　most　humorous

manner　possible。　　If　they　can　only　succeed　in　irritating　the

gentleman　who　has　a　family　of　daughters　under　his　charge；　they　are

like　to　die　with　laughing；　and　boast　of　it　among　their　companions

for　a　week　afterwards；　adding；　that　one　or　two　of　them　were

'devilish　fine　girls；'　and　that　they　really　thought　the　youngest

would　have　fainted；　which　was　the　only　thing　wanted　to　render　the

joke　complete。



If　the　out…and…out　young　gentleman　have　a　mother　and　sisters；　of

course　he　treats　them　with　becoming　contempt；　inasmuch　as　they

（poor　things！）　having　no　notion　of　life　or　gaiety；　are　far　too

weak…spirited　and　moping　for　him。　　Sometimes；　however；　on　a　birth…

day　or　at　Christmas…time；　he　cannot　very　well　help　accompanying

them　to　a　party　at　some　old　friend's；　with　which　view　he　comes　home

when　they　have　been　dressed　an　hour　or　two；　smelling　very　strongly

of　tobacco　and　spirits；　and　after　exchanging　his　rough　coat　for

some　more　suitable　attire　（in　which　however　he　loses　nothing　of　the

out…and…outer）；　gets　into　the　coach　and　grumbles　all　the　way　at　his

own　good　nature：　　his　bitter　reflections　aggravated　by　the

recollection；　that　Tom　Smith　has　taken　the　chair　at　a　little

impromptu　dinner　at　a　fighting　man's；　and　that　a　set…to　was　to　take

place　on　a　dining…table；　between　the　fighting　man　and　his　brother…

in…law；　which　is　probably　'coming　off'　at　that　very　instant。



As　the　out…and…out　young　gentleman　is　by　no　means　at　his　ease　in

ladies'　society；　he　shrinks　into　a　corner　of　the　drawing…room　when

they　reach　the　friend's；　and　unless　one　of　his　sisters　is　kind

enough　to　talk　to　him；　remains　there　without　being　much　troubled　by

the　attentions　of　other　people；　until　he　espies；　lingering　outside

the　door；　another　gentleman；　whom　he　at　once　knows；　by　his　air　and

manner　（for　there　is　a　kind　of　free…masonry　in　the　craft）；　to　be　a

brother　out…and…outer；　and　towards　whom　he　accordingly　makes　his

way。　　Conversation　being　soon　opened　by　some　casual　remark；　the

second　out…and…outer　confidentially　informs　the　first；　that　he　is

one　of　the　rough　sort　and　hates　that　kind　of　thing；　only　he

couldn't　very　well　be　off　coming；　to　which　the　other　replies；　that

that's　just　his　case　…　'and　I'll　tell　you　what；'　continues　the　out…

and…outer　in　a　whisper；　'I　should　like　a　glass　of　warm　brandy　and

water　just　now；'　…　'Or　a　pint　of　stout　and　a　pipe；'　suggests　the

other　out…and…outer。



The　discovery　is　at　once　made　that　they　are　sympathetic　souls；　each

of　them　says　at　the　same　moment；　that　he　sees　the　other　understands

what's　what：　　and　they　become　fast　friends　at　once；　more　especially

when　it　appears；　that　the　second　out…and…outer　is　no　other　than　a

gentleman；　long　favourably　known　to　his　familiars　as　'Mr。　Warmint

Blake；'　who　upon　divers　occasions　has　distinguished　himself　in　a

manner　that　would　not　have　disgraced　the　fighting　man；　and　who　…

having　been　a　pretty　long　time　about　town　…　had　the　honour　of　once

shaking　hands　with　the　celebrated　Mr。　Thurtell　himself。



At　supper；　these　gentlemen　greatly　distinguish　themselves；

brightening　up　very　much　when　the　ladies　leave　the　table；　and

proclaiming　aloud　their　intention　of　beginning　to　spend　the　evening

…　a　process　which　is　generally　understood　to　be　satisfactorily

performed；　when　a　great　deal　of　wine　is　drunk　and　a　great　deal　of

noise　made；　both　of　which　feats　the　out…and…out　young　gentlemen

execute　to　perfection。　　Having　protracted　their　sitting　until　long

after　the　host　and　the　other　guests　have　adjourned　to　the　drawing…

room；　and　finding　that　they　have　drained　the　decanters　empty；　they

follow　them　thither　with　complexions　rather　heightened；　and　faces

rather　bloated　with　wine；　and　the　agitated　lady　of　the　house

whispers　her　friends　as　they　waltz　together；　to　the　great　terror　of

the　whole　room；　that　'both　Mr。　Blake　and　Mr。　Dummins　are　very　nice

sort　of　young　men　in　their　way；　only　they　are　eccentric　persons；

and　unfortunately　RATHER　TOO　WILD！'



The　remaining　class　of　out…and…out　young　gentlemen　is　composed　of

persons；　who；　having　no　money　of　their　own　and　a　soul　above　earning

any；　enjoy　similar　pleasures；　nobody　knows　how。　　These　respectable

gentlemen；　without　aiming　quite　so　much　at　the　out…and…out　in

external　appearance；　are　distinguished　by　all　the　same　amiable　and

attractive　characteristics；　in　an　equal　or　perhaps　greater　degree；

and　now　and　then　find　their　way　into　society；　through　the　medium　of

the　other　class　of　out…and…out　young　gentlemen；　who　will　sometimes

carry　them　home；　and　who　usually　pay　their　tavern　bills。　　As　they

are　equally　gentlemanly；　clever；　witty；　intelligent；　wise；　and