City Sketches. 459 



to apply to the search after a second wife. I fear the truth after all 

 is this, that pounds, shillings, and pence, were the three witches that 

 stultified his fortune. 



Mr. Griskin, the pork butcher, lived in the next street, just round 

 the corner. Griskin was one of those plain, straightforward gen- 

 tlemen of the old school who gloried in being an Englishman, and 

 did not care who knew it, or knew any thing else for that matter, 

 since that could not interfere with him. Had hogs been erudition, 

 Griskin had been a most learned man ; as it was, he was content to 

 slaughter and sell pigs enough to make a Jew stare or a Christian 

 happy ; and he was, or appeared to be so ; for after business he re- 

 gularly took three glasses of grog, smoked several pipes of tobacco 

 purchased at Cobb's counter, and had his nap in the arm-chair. 



Griskin had one daughter, his only child, who, ensconced in a 

 kind of sentry box in the shop, received and disbursed such sums, as 

 the complicated nature of her father's swinish transactions might 

 render necessary. Some have given it as their opinion that she was 

 not beautiful. Beauty is only skin deep, to be sure ; and yet I have 

 known many fastidious judges, who do not admire a skin the more 

 jpFor being whitey-brown, with a slight tinge of yellow ochre for its 

 IF complexion. The devastations of small-pox are thought, by a few, 

 to detract from loveliness, although they may impart expression. It 

 is frequently considered, that two eyes should concur to the distinctness 

 of one glance, and there is a prejudice (it cannot be denied) against 

 a too pointed nose. But these are merely matters of taste, which 

 love cannot and must not recognize. Besides, the passion of Drink- 

 water Cobb was for booty, not beauty. 



It was ostensibly to cheapen a sucking pig, but in reality to ascer- 

 tain the value of Miss Betsy Griskin, that the tobacconist, one day, 

 looked in upon the pork butcher. He found him in conversible cue, 

 and quite prepared to go into matters at large, and to enter upon 

 affairs in general. But, touching the one point, although Cobb 

 glanced at it in the most salient manner, although he hopped about 

 it, advanced towards it, receded from it, with a most diplomatic 

 finesse, he found the parent of his prey close plaguy close ; indeed, 



he afterwards said, "d d close." He was a cunning old rascal, 



that Griskin; a sly old fox, with lots of money, no doubt ; but he did 

 not wish all the world to know it. And he was right, perfectly right. 



ButCobb, nevertheless, took something by his motion hereceived 

 an invitation to come frequently of an evening and take a glass of 

 grog. That was a point gained at all events. It was a clear case 

 too. Griskin wanted to entrap him into the match ; Cobb could not 

 help smiling at that, he who had prepared such a springe for Miss 

 Betsy. It was ridiculous, certainly. He had his eyes open now. 

 He should like to catch any one catching him. No more Cobb-webs 

 for him. And then, Griskin, of all men '. He was decidedly monied. 

 Why, the hoarding old sinner! but then he wanted to see his 

 daughter respectably settled. That was judicious. He was a good, 

 sensible, honest fellow. It showed a fatherly feeling. 



Impressed by these convictions, Mr. Cobb renewed his ancient 

 intimacy with Griskin. During his visits, which soon became pretty 



