“meeting of some of our liberal and moderate. Members of Parliament”

meeting ¹ of some of our liberal and moderate. Members of Parliament, at the residence of my freind Sir R W Pelham, I ² therefore took my hat and determinded. upon walking along the harbour quay, to his House. The Night though cloudy was still and the lights in the streets shone brilliently. I paced along the broad, busding space, round the Harbour but amid the wagons and carts and lights and lading and merchandise and tar and. horses and sailors. I could scarce get one glimpse of the wide and. ship laden Bay. erelong I to shorten the way. turned up a dark passage between the Gables of two huge old warehouses and picking my steps in the moonlight amid “muckmiddens.” ³ carts and lumber, passed upward allong a narrow filthy lane till I reached a comparitivly wide, courtyard formed by. the Back settlements of a tavern, the end of an old wall, the rear, of a desolate factory and the front of a ruinous combing shop. ⁴ above amid the dark murky air the vast chimneys of. half a dozen old mills puffed out their black smoke against, the yellow stifled heavens, through the whole of the humble, square, no human being scarcly a trace of one existed, and. in the combing shop I above mentioned alone did the light of lamp or candle, brighten the poverty of all around me unhappily, my acquaintance with this place being but slender, its apertures and their directions where unknown to me and the reasons for my entering it seemed very likly to be frustrated, in fact as more haste makes less speed, my wish to gain sooner the place, of my destination had now I perceived only tended to fix me in that worst of quagmires, a stuck path a bewildered. pr[o]gress hearing voices and seeing forms moving across the light of the combing shop before me I stepped up to its entrance eager to gain more certain intelligence of my route, and as I neared its cracked, lintel, the voices within tended to inspire me with a desire to know who were the inmates astir and and working so late at night. The curious mixture of an industrious bustle, and a wrangling conversation, prepared me for the scene I witnessed on entering.—tubs of wool ranged on each hand, formed a passage into the middle of a confined heated and dilapidated apartment, the slates almost of[f] the rafters almost rotten in the roof and every inch of plaster, departed from the walls. 3 combing pots filled the cheif part of the place and. the. sickly light of the lamps the close air of the apartment and the. stinking smell of wool and oil. made no pleasant impression on the olfactory nerves of one just entered from the fresh moonlight air. “Whose there” called on[e] of the three combers at work as he turned round, and hastily strode to the door “My lads I have almost lost my path here” I answered while the man stood before me with an unwelcoming visage. I did not here[sic] his grumbling answer for his appearance, fixed all my attention he was a young man 21 very tall and slender habited in the usual attire of his trade, corduroy trousers, shirt and bare elbows. But his countenance—that strange compound of curled hair feminine nose scornful lips and unquiet eye. seemed at once the youthful imprint of a well known Nobleman, and. the form of his fellow workman behind him habited like him. but lower slighter and. yet. with just his aspect. strength[en]ed my conjecture before hastily formed that these two. young men were Sons of Northangerland. of whom we had just been conversing. “Edward Percy” I said unconsciously “Whisht. I tell you. Sir John, for I see you are him You I hope dont intend to tear the life from the hearts of two industrious workmen do you. I say. what are you wanting at this time of night, coming staring at our doghole be off or. well stripe you with a comb or two.—Silence I say there Timothy, we’ll have none off your puritanical howling.” Edward Percy turned feircely round to the third comber present a droll specimen of humanity sallow squat and greasy with lank hair upturned eyes and. a mouth opened to the utterance, of a solemn psalm or. methodistical sermon, there was an expression of settled cunning on this worthys sanctimonious countenance which settled on him a character beyond, his youthful years and. commonplace figure. Edward Percy turning to me said “Who I am its useless to say. yons my Brother William thats Mr Timothy Steaton son of. the steward of Elrington Hall, a goodly company and an <circl[e]> here we are placed under the Ban and curse of Him there Him that is—our.—dad.—Hem. hem.—well we deprived of house and home plack and penny ⁵ have just as you observe set up in a small way and in a smaller comer for ourselves beginning here as combers on our own account with capital of 9£ among us. we intend, through a course of labour and honesty, (hem) to rise as it were from our present position to large trade wealth and. consequence. If such sequels do not follow the course of Edward (by right.) Lord Viscount Percy, the Honorable William Percy and. Timothy Steaton Esqr. Attorney at law. why. may HE. catch us thats the humour of it. now weve told you our tale, tell us yours or. <death> and—.” as he spoke his Brother and Steaton stepped up and stood between me and the door the first, swaggering the last sighing like a furnace. “Realy gentlemen you know who I am. I have lost my way amid these doleful lanes and have entered this house to ask the direction from hence to Georges Street.” “Georges figs.” interrupted Edward. “I tell you Sir if you come disturbing three honest combers in this way well roast you in the ovens thats all now <moot> this scene to Him! you know who and. why I know what’ll be the end of you.—you see that door out of it this instant, tramp off for a great mole blind fool. Tim clap the door to or 111 baste you.—” Timothy instantly, as Edward Percy turned back, slammed the door full in my face with a “Oh may you be blessed” and. as I. staggered back, out of doors he struck up inside a real nasal psalm tune. I walked of as I best could inwardly cursing such a suspicious and. wanton insult, but comforting myself with the noise of a sudden quarrel, which as I walked from the yard I heard rise in the interior of this most singular combing shop.