am .
The nature of avocations for the last thirty years has brought into more than ordinary contact with what would seem , of whom as yet nothing that know of has ever been written : -- mean or .
have known , professionally and privately , and if pleased , could relate divers histories , at which might smile , and might weep .
But waive the biographies of for a few passages in the life of .
While of might write the complete life , of nothing of that sort can be done .
believe that no materials exist for a full and satisfactory biography of .
It is an irreparable loss to literature .
was one of those beings of whom nothing is ascertainable , except from the original sources , and in case those are very small .
What own astonished eyes saw of , _ that _ is all know of , except , indeed , one vague report which will appear in the sequel .
Ere introducing , as first appeared to , it is fit make some mention of , , , , and ; because some such description is indispensable to an adequate understanding of .
Imprimis : am .
Hence , though belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous , even to turbulence , at times , yet nothing of that sort have ever suffered to invade peace .
am ; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat , do a snug business among 's bonds and mortgages and title-deeds .
All who know , consider .
, , had no hesitation in pronouncing first grand point to be prudence ; next , method .
do not speak it in vanity , but simply record the fact , that was not unemployed in profession by ; a name which , admit , love to repeat , for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it , and rings like unto bullion .
will freely add , that was not insensible to 's good opinion .
Some time prior to the period at which this little history begins , avocations had been largely increased .
The good old office , now extinct in , of a Master in Chancery , had been conferred upon .
It was not a very arduous office , but very pleasantly remunerative .
seldom lose temper ; much more seldom indulge in dangerous indignation at wrongs and outrages ; but must be permitted to be rash here and declare , that consider the sudden and violent abrogation of the office of Master in Chancery , by the new Constitution , as a -- premature act ; inasmuch as had counted upon a life-lease of the profits , whereas only received those of a few short years .
But this is by the way .
were up at No .
-- .
At one end looked upon the white wall of the interior of .
This view might have been considered rather tame than otherwise , deficient in what call " life . "
But if so , the view from the other end of offered , at least , a contrast , if nothing more .
In that direction windows commanded an unobstructed view of a lofty brick wall , black by age and everlasting shade ; which wall required no spy-glass to bring out its lurking beauties , but for the benefit of , was pushed up to within ten feet of window panes .
Owing to the great height of , and being on the second floor , the interval between this wall and mine not a little resembled a huge square cistern .
At the period just preceding the advent of , had as in employment , and as .
First , ; second , ; third , .
These may seem names , the like of which are not usually found in the Directory .
In truth they were nicknames , mutually conferred upon each other by , and were deemed expressive of or .
was , that is , somewhere not far from sixty .
In the morning , one might say , face was of a fine florid hue , but after twelve o'clock , meridian -- dinner hour -- it blazed like a grate full of Christmas coals ; and continued blazing -- but , as it were , with a gradual wane -- till 6 o'clock , P.M. or thereabouts , after which saw no more of .
There are many singular coincidences have known in the course of life , not the least among which was the fact , that exactly when displayed fullest beams from red and radiant countenance , just then , too , at that critical moment , began the daily period when considered business capacities as seriously disturbed for the remainder of the twenty-four hours .
Not that was absolutely idle , or averse to business then ; far from it .
The difficulty was , was apt to be altogether too energetic .
There was a strange , inflamed , flurried , flighty recklessness of activity about .
would be incautious in dipping pen into inkstand .
All blots upon documents , were dropped there after twelve o'clock , meridian .
Indeed , not only would be reckless and sadly given to making blots in the afternoon , but some days went further , and was rather noisy .
At such times , too , face flamed with augmented blazonry , as if cannel coal had been heaped on anthracite .
made an unpleasant racket with chair ; spilled sand-box ; in mending pens , impatiently split them all to pieces , and threw them on the floor in a sudden passion ; stood up and leaned over table , boxing papers about in a most indecorous manner , very sad to behold in .
Nevertheless , as was in many ways , and all the time before twelve o'clock , meridian , was too , accomplishing a great deal of work in a style not easy to be matched -- for these reasons , was willing to overlook eccentricities , though indeed , occasionally , remonstrated with .
did this very gently , however , because , though in the morning , yet in the afternoon was disposed , upon provocation , to be slightly rash with tongue , in fact , insolent .
Now , valuing morning services as did , and resolved not to lose them ; yet , at the same time made uncomfortable by inflamed ways after twelve o'clock ; and being , unwilling by admonitions to call forth unseemly retorts from ; took upon , one Saturday noon ( was always worse on Saturdays ) , to hint to , very kindly , that perhaps now that was growing old , it might be well to abridge labors ; in short , need not come to after twelve o'clock , but , dinner over , had best go to and rest till teatime .
But no ; insisted upon afternoon devotions .
countenance became intolerably fervid , as oratorically assured -- gesticulating with a long ruler at the other end of -- that if services in the morning were useful , how indispensable , then , in the afternoon ?
" With submission , , " said on this occasion , " consider .
In the morning but marshal and deploy columns ; but in the afternoon put at their head , and gallantly charge , thus ! "
-- and made a violent thrust with the ruler .
" But the blots , , " intimated " True , -- but , with submission , , behold these hairs !
am getting old .
Surely , , a blot or two of a warm afternoon is not to be severely urged against gray hairs .
Old age -- even if it blot the page -- is honorable .
With submission , , _ both _ are getting old . "
This appeal to fellow-feeling was hardly to be resisted .
At all events , saw that go would not .
So made up mind to let stay , resolving , nevertheless , to see to it , that during the afternoon had to do with less important papers .
, the second on list , was .
always deemed the victim of two evil powers -- ambition and indigestion .
The ambition was evinced by a certain impatience of the duties of , an unwarrantable usurpation of strictly professional affairs , such as the original drawing up of legal documents .
The indigestion seemed betokened in an occasional nervous testiness and grinning irritability , causing the teeth to audibly grind together over mistakes committed in copying ; unnecessary maledictions , hissed , rather than spoken , in the heat of business ; and especially by a continual discontent with the height of the table where worked .
Though of a very ingenious mechanical turn , could never get this table to suit .
put chips under it , blocks of various sorts , bits of pasteboard , and at last went so far as to attempt an exquisite adjustment by final pieces of folded blotting paper .
But no invention would answer .
If , for the sake of easing back , brought the table lid at a sharp angle well up towards chin , and wrote there like : -- then declared that it stopped the circulation in arms .
If now lowered the table to waistbands , and stooped over it in writing , then there was a sore aching in back .
In short , the truth of the matter was , knew not what wanted .
Or , if wanted any thing , it was to be rid of a scrivener 's table altogether .
Among the manifestations of diseased ambition was a fondness had for receiving visits from .
Indeed was aware that not only was , at times , considerable of , but occasionally did a little business at , and was not unknown on the steps of .
have good reason to believe , however , that , was no other than , and the alleged title-deed , a bill .
But with all failings , and the annoyances caused , , like , was ; wrote a neat , swift hand ; and , when chose , was not deficient in a gentlemanly sort of deportment .
Added to this , always dressed in a gentlemanly sort of way ; and so , incidentally , reflected credit upon .
Whereas with respect to , had much ado to keep from being a reproach to .
clothes were apt to look oily and smell of .
wore pantaloons very loose and baggy in summer .
coats were execrable ; hat not to be handled .
But while the hat was a thing of indifference to , inasmuch as natural civility and deference , as , always led to doff it the moment entered , yet coat was another matter .
Concerning coats , reasoned with ; but with no effect .
The truth was , suppose , that , could not afford to sport such a lustrous face and a lustrous coat at one and the same time .
As once observed , 's money went chiefly for red ink .
One winter day presented with a highly-respectable looking coat of own , a padded gray coat , of a most comfortable warmth , and which buttoned straight up from the knee to the neck .
thought would appreciate the favor , and abate rashness and obstreperousness of afternoons .
But no .
verily believe that buttoning up in so downy and blanket-like a coat had a pernicious effect upon ; upon the same principle that too much oats are bad for horses .
In fact , precisely as a rash , restive horse is said to feel his oats , so felt coat .
It made insolent .
was .