618 The Pimento Family ; or, [June, 
digy. In her eleventh summer she could make verses; and, in her 
twelfth, marry metre to music, but, like most early marriages, they 
jangled most deplorably. Her master, Signor Soprano, pronounced her, 
as well as he could express his flattery, to be “a Billington in the bud ;” 
and her ladyship, as sugars were “looking up” in the market, raised 
the professor's salary half-a-guinea per quarter. . 
Under the instruction of the Signor, Miss Amarantha had already 
began to scream out “ sounds it was a misery to hear,” and thump the 
piano in such a manner as was barbarous to behold. Di piacer, and 
Una voce poco fa, filled the town-house in Finsbury with “ discords 
dire,” the superflux half filling the area forming the square, and fright- 
ening that merchant-congregating spot “ from its propriety.” Lady P., 
however, and her coterie were delighted to observe the devotion with 
which the young lady went throught the rudimentary martyrdom of her 
musical education. 
I have foredated a principal incident in my history ; for it was at this 
era that Peter Pimento, Esquire, became Sir Peter Pimento, Knight. 
He had been elected Sheriff of London ; and an address of congratula- 
tion about something procured him the intoxicating honour of knight- 
hood. Then it was that the Pimentos “looked up ;” and Sir Peter, 
after much special pleading, for the sake of that peace of which, as 
sheriff, he was a public conservator, reluctantly agreed that a more 
fashionable house, and a more fashionable neighbourhood, were neces- 
sary to the double dignitaries of sheriff and knight. Accordingly, the 
Pimentos emigrated to Portland-place. Sir Peter, however, soon dis- 
covered that a residence so situated was too far from the city for com- 
merce, and too near for the country air. One horn of this dilemma was 
soon gilt over: Lady P. insisted upon a second carriage. 'The merchant 
demurred, but in vain: it was ordered from Birch, Prince Leopold’s 
builder ; and Lady P. and Miss Amarantha kept it in activity,—first, 
by shopping-expeditions, about the West End, in the morning,—and, 
secondly, by putting in appearances in the Park two hours before din- 
ner. Sir P. complained, and was told he could well afford a third car- 
riage, for “ ginger was in demand.”—“ Anything for a quiet life,” 
thought Sir P.; and a third carriage was placed on the stocks. Lady P. 
then discovered that her “dear Alfred” could not positively take rank 
with the young nobility with whom he had bowed himself into acquaint- 
ance, if he was not allowed a cabriolet. 
Here Sir Peter did venture to rebel so far as to lift his eyebrows in 
astonishment ; and a “ D—n it, Madam, this is too much!” and a posi- 
tive “ No!” had half-escaped his lips, when the lady informed him, in 
her peremptory way, that opposition was useless—it was necessary to the 
dignity of the family ; that she had ordered Birch to build a curricle for 
the “dear boy ;” and that, if Sir Peter refused the expense, she would 
sustain it out of her private purse, for she was determined that “ the 
Pimentos should look up.” Sir P. gave an audible “ humph!” whistled 
a variation on a favourite air; and then, buttoning up his coat to the 
collar, walked as coolly as he could to Cornhill. Fortunately for his 
peace of mind, good tidings from Lloyd’s met him there ; and he began 
to think it not impossible that a merchant, whose profits were twenty 
thousand per annum, might sustain the rise in the demands of Lady P. 
and her “dear” Alfred. But he had, for the hour, forgotten that he 
had also a “ dear Augustus.” The last-named young gentleman had 
