Whyte-Melmlles Sermon. 103 



lender getting the mastery and receiverships of estates. 

 Next come the money-lenders who have private houses, and 

 receive their clients there in a kind, confidential manner ; 

 when theii' patience is exhausted, the open unblushing bill 

 discounter comes in to " do a bit of stiif," and there is no 

 ceremony about this ; the borrower chafis him about his 

 nationality, his jewellery, his nose, and his roguery ; all of 

 w^iich the discounter receives with the greatest bojihomie 

 and good temper, and both parties fight for terms in the 

 most open manner. When this crisis arrives it is generally 

 a case of " smash up," or being pulled out of the scrape ; and 

 this is the stage at which a youngster goes to the family 

 solicitor, and if he goes soon enough he may be saved. 

 The settling with the low Jew class is very amusing, 

 as I happen to know, from having pulled many a 

 young fellow out of difficulties. The discounter is always 

 very civil and often jocular, and sherry and a cigar, from 

 habit, are generally tendered ; and something of this kind 

 occurs : " Well, sii^, there is no man in the world whom I 



would so soon serve as Captain A , but he ivas so 



foolish — so foolish, you know — he was so sw^eet on the 

 favourite that he would back him, and I settled his book^ 

 and lost a deal of money myself too by taking his advice ; but 

 I couldn't see a friend in trouble," &c., &c., &c. And so it 

 goes on until real business is commenced, and then, if the 

 last thing left is a settlement by the " old governor," with a 

 large deduction or a " sell up," it is wonderful how figures 

 diminish, and how glad the school are to get their money 

 back, and five or six per cent, on the loan. Let all the 

 world take this as a fact from me, that the low bill-dis- 

 counters are too much afraid of exposure to refuse such 

 terms. 



Setting aside the bill discounters, see how many vultures 

 live on the army. There is the half gentleman, half any- 



