180 DINNER. 



from the metropolis would admit. A 

 brother whip was to have joined us, 

 but, being disappointed in the man 

 who had promised to officiate for 

 him, I was quite alone with my en- 

 tertainer. 



The conversation during dinner was on 

 the common occurrences of the day. We 

 were waited on by a man out of livery, 

 and it did not require an habitue 

 to discover that, had his board been 

 graced with people of the first quality, 

 and of both sexes, my host would 

 have done the honours with elegance 

 and ease. 



As it happened, we were tete-a-tete over 

 wine of the choicest vintage; and, after 

 a pretty free circulation of it, he, I 

 may say, gave me his history, or at least 

 part of it. It was interesting, as it re- 

 lated to the Peninsular war, of which I 

 had read much, and heard more, from 



