1830.] The Golden City. 393 



Multiplying fifty-two by ten, he found five hundred and twenty days 

 were lost to him annually. Indeed the general character of the Sunday 

 seemed to afford him, some ground for considering it almost useless as a 

 religious institution. Not that he objected to ministerial dinners and 

 private parties on that day ; but he thought it intolerable that the lower 

 classes, for whom religion was certainly invented, should neglect the 

 opportunity afforded them. He considered it obtaining a holiday under 

 false pretences. 



Sunday, therefore, Maurice had at his own disposal ; and though 

 habit sent him to church in the morning, he thought fit, in the afternoon, 

 to amuse himself by walking towards the West. His dress, with which 

 he had taken unusual pains, consisted of top-boots and drab br ch~s, 

 a red waistcoat striped with black, and a black neckcloth with red spots, 

 the whole surmounted by a snuff-coloured coat, and a hat of prodigious 

 extent : nor had he any reason to be dissatisfied with the attention he 

 excited. After encountering a few trifling accidents, of which the most 

 important were spraining his ankle by slipping off the pavement ; losing 

 his handkerchief he knew not how; having his hat blown off by an unex- 

 pected gust of wind ; and his foot crushed by a person stepping back 

 upon it ; and ensuring a tolerable head-ache by coming in contact with 

 a stout fellow who was walking rapidly, and, like himself, looking 

 another way he at length entered the Park, not a little irritated and 

 fatigued. Presently he came to an oblong sheet of water, and was told 

 it was the Serpentine ; but this was too much for his credulity, and he 

 expressed so freely his opinion of his informant's veracity, that he nar- 

 rowly escaped a hostile engagement. 



Continuing to walk forward among stunted trees, he now saw at a 

 distance a long line of vehicles, and concluded, as they seemed to be 

 perfectly stationary, that it was a stand of hackney-coaches ; but as he 

 drew nearer, he perceived them to be in very tardy motion, and settled 

 in his own mind that it was the funeral of some distinguished person. 

 At length he learned the true nature of the spectacle ; and never did 

 his ideas of London receive a greater shock, than when he was given to 

 understand that this melancholy procession, this tortoise-hunt, formed 

 the most extatic enjoyment of the highest classes, to whom the kindness 

 of fortune had opened all the avenues of pleasure ! 



In the midst of the crowd he discovered the family of Mr. James, 

 and thinking he could do no less, he approached the carriage, and 

 offered his compliments at the open window, but, to his great astonish- 

 ment, they did not recognize him, and, with a stare of surprise, drew 

 up the glass. As he returned to the footpath, he encountered a party 

 of young men who were laughing immoderately, and some of their 

 expressions which reached his ear explained to him that he had just 

 undergone a very marked insult, and was consequently the object of 

 general derision. His feelings were not very comfortable; he could 

 almost have wept with vexation, and growing a little weary of pleasure, 

 he put his hand to his watch hoping to find it time to return home, 

 but his endeavour to find the seals was ineffectual ; and he was com- 

 pelled to admit the melancholy conviction, that he had sustained a second 

 loss more serious than the preceding one. 



In his way home he encountered the friend by whose kindness he 

 had obtained the situation he held, informed him of his misfortune, and 

 was advised how to act, that is, to do nothing at all. Proceeding to 



M.M. New Scries. VOL. X. No. 58. 3 D 



