A DINNER AT POPLAR WALK. 623 



person that, I am sure that is to say, a person whose virtues must 

 endear him to those who know him and those who have not tne 

 pleasure of knowing him, cannot dislike him." 



" Hear ! hear I" said the company, in a tone of encouragement 

 and approval. 



" Gentlemen," continued Bagshaw, " my cousin is a man who 

 who is a relation of my own." (Hear ! hear !) Minns groaned au- 

 dibly " who I am most happy to see here, and who, if he were not 

 here, would certainly have deprived us of the great pleasure we all 

 feel in seeing him. (Loud cries of hear !) Gentlemen : I feel that I 

 have already trespassed on your attention for too long a time. With 



every feeling of of with every sentiment of of 



" Gratification" suggested the friend of the family. 

 " Of gratification, I beg to propose the health of Mr. Minns." 

 " Standing, gentlemen !" shouted the indefatigable little man with 

 the whiskers " and with the honours. Take your time from me, if 

 you please. Hip ! hip ! hip ! Za Hip ! hip ! hip ! Za ! Hip ! 

 hip ! hip ! Za a a !" 



All eyes were now fixed on the subject of the toast, who, by gulp- 

 ing down port-wine at the imminent hazard of suffocation, endea- 

 voured to conceal his confusion. After as long a pause as decency 

 would admit, with a face as red as a flamingo, he rose ; but, as the 

 newspapers sometimes say in their reports of the debates, " we 

 regret that we are quite unable to give even the substance of the 

 honourable gentleman's observations." The words " present com- 

 pany honour present occasion," and " great happiness" heard 

 occasionally, and repeated at intervals, with a countenance expressive 

 of the utmost misery, convinced the company that he was making an 

 excellent speech ; and, accordingly, on his resuming his seat, they 

 cried " Bravo !" and manifested tumultuous applause. Jones, who 

 had been long watching his opportunity, then darted up. 

 " Bagshaw," said he, will you allow me to propose a toast ?" 

 " Certainly," replied Bagshaw, adding in an under tone to Minns 

 right across the table (( Devilish sharp fellow that : you'll be very 

 much pleased with his speech. He talks equally well on any sub- 

 ject." Minns bowed, and Mr. Jones proceeded : 



" It has on several occasions, in various instances, under many cir- 

 cumstances, and in different companies, fallen to my lot to propose a 

 toast to those by whom, at the time, I have had the honour to be 

 surrounded. I have sometimes, I will cheerfully own for why 

 should I deny it felt the overwhelming nature of the task I have 

 undertaken, and my own utter incapability to do justice to the sub- 

 ject. If such have been my feelings, however, on former occasions, 

 what must they be now now under the extraordinary circum- 

 stances in which I am placed. (Hear ! hear !) To describe my feel- 

 ings accurately would be impossible ; but I cannot give you a better 

 idea of them, gentlemen, than by referring to a circumstance which 

 happens, oddly enough, to occur to my mind at the moment. On 

 one occasion, when that truly great and illustrious man, Sheridan 



was " 



" Please, Sir," said the boy, entering hastily, and addressing Bag- 



