148 MR. F ARRANGE 



Peel. That he filled the situation with credit, we may 

 infer from the fact that Sir Eobert materially assisted 

 him in his later years. Mr. Farrance used to say that 

 he never knew anyone of his own name except a pastry- 

 cook and confectioner, living at that time at Charing 

 Cross, to whom, however, he did not think he was in 

 any way related. He married Sir John Shelley's house- 

 keeper. She was much younger than her husband, lady- 

 like in appearance, and attractive in manners. She was 

 evidently, we may conclude, in the good graces of her 

 husband's master ; for when the pair took a very large 

 and expensive hotel in Belgrave Square, and called it 

 after their own name, it is said that Sir Eobert found 

 the money, 15,000, and always stayed there when in 

 town. Mrs. Farrance was always stylishly dressed, and 

 a thorough woman of business, attending to the hotel in 

 every department. No lady or gentleman ever went there 

 without being first interviewed by her, and everything 

 that she wished to know ascertained who the visitors 

 were, and how long they were to stay. I don't believe 

 Mr. Farrance ever attended to a visitor or, indeed, saw 

 one from one week's end to another. 



I should think, in fact, few men have led a more 

 careful, regular, and useless life than he did. He was 

 not an early riser, and when up did nothing but read 

 the papers and smoke. After dinner he would retire 

 to his cellar, which he called his counting-house, and 

 would there receive any company that visited him. Yet, 

 as a wit would say, he was not afraid of work, for his 

 ' custom always of an afternoon ' was to go to sleep ; 

 being a believer in the doctrine of Garacole, who taught, 

 ' after a good dinner a good sleep, and after a bad dinner 

 no work.' It was in this sanctum that we used to meet, 

 and over his excellent Scotch whisky and a good cigar 



