198 BACHELORS' BLESSEDNESS. 



Next, my dear bachelor, touching the polite offer of 

 handing your Billingsgate damsel over to my protec- 

 tion ; I should much rather be excused the intended 

 felicity of her companionship. Some things are no 

 great shakes at second hand, therefore I hope you will 

 see the propriety of withdrawing this motion and show- 

 ing a little more gallantry and honorable conduct to- 

 wards your adopted preceptor. 



Thirdly, concerning the disposal of the contents of 

 my oft-replenished basket : your fair friend has sorely 

 misled you if you have been persuaded to believe that 

 she is the favoured purchaser ; 'tis no such thing, every 

 fish caught by me barring the seven dozen sent to 

 you has been sold,ybr ready money y to a celebrated 

 denizen of the Plymouth fishmarket ; Condy has given 

 a full length portrait of her and has made her the prin- 

 ciple figure in his beautiful picture of the fish-market, 

 which was nearly finished when I was last in your loyal 

 borough. Look at her, prithee, and see if she be not 

 the beau ideal of a fisherwoman worthy of receiving 

 the produce of Theobald's labours : she glances with 

 an eye of disdain at the store of mackerel, plaice, tur- 

 bot, cod, haddock, lobsters, crabs, &c., &c., displayed 

 before her, feeling glory and great joy in the conside- 

 ration that a much more valuable store awaits her. 



I feel wonderfully sorry that you have such ill luck 

 amongst the ladies, as your last paragraph intimates ; 

 but as there are two or three uncommonly amiable girls 

 here, I should have the greatest pleasure in introducing 

 you to them ; one, to be sure is a milliner, but I sup- 

 pose that consideration would not depreciate her worth 

 in your eyes : and as to the utility of the introduction, 

 we need not consult Miss Martineau. 



How is it, my dear bachelor, that you who profess 

 so amiable a system of logic, should let us perceive 

 that your heart does contain a little spice of the " envy, 

 hatred, malice, and uncharitableness " which impreg- 

 nate humanity more or less? Theobald observed that 

 he would be inclined to rank, among the blessings of 

 matrimony, such ratings as were bestowed by wives on 



