Comic Sketches and Recollections (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1843. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... after-dinner chat. " A thing of shreds and patches."--Shakspeare. An accidental meeting with an old acquaintance, a few days ago, led to an engagement to dine together, that same evening, at a coffeehouse. We are admonished by a foolish old proverb, that "a rolling stone gathers no moss." Unsocial old proverb disingenuous old proverb --(this is not the first opportunity I have taken to declare my hatred of some of your superannuated, twaddling, community)--tell me, thou lazy, spiritless old proverb does not.the rolling stone gain, by its "truant disposition," something better worth possessing than a sordid blanket of musty moss, wherein selfishly to encase its own dull, selfish self? Does it not acquire roundness, smoothness, polish, and other qualities, which render it pleasant in the sight of men and virtuosi? O thou apathetic old proverb had my friend and I attended to thy tame warning, we should, incontinently, have entered the nearest tavern, where we should have sat with our chins meeting across a narrow table, till we were tired of each other's company--as completely cut off from all intercourse with the outer world as if we had been immured in a pew of a country church. But, no like a couple of gallant snow-balls, we rolled along Pall-Mall, Regent Street, and Bond Street, gathering and increasing as we went, till we bounded against the door of the Clarendon--an avalanche of Nine I am not permitted to name my companions: I must, therefore, request of the reader that he will be satisfied with their initials; at the same time allowing him, for his own private satisfaction, to exercise his undoubted intelligence in filling up the blanks--if he can. The party, then, consisted of B, F, H, G, K, N, R, S, and--(Did you ever hear the phrase uttered, without ...