MR. CHAPLIN 65 



formed the foundation of his elevation. AYell up in the 

 l^ractical j^art of his vocation, which he followed 

 professionally for years, he had a very good knowledge of 

 the animals he governed, as well as the bipeds with whom 

 he was associated, and made them both subservient to his 

 designs. With the employment of an oratory he could at 

 all times most powerfully use, though it was not adapted 

 to the atmosphere of St. SteiDhen's, he added an intellect 

 superioi" to most of his class in shrewdness and tact, and 

 this with a soft, oily expression, that procured for him 

 the sobriquet of "Bite 'em sly." He possessed, also, a 

 sort of playful sarcasm, he was fond of exhibiting, under 

 which he disguised his real object ; by these gifts he 

 raised himself to eminence and procured a host of 

 worshippers. 



There were others who rose from the most menial 

 situations, compared Avith these, to be members of the 

 same august body. With wits sharpened in the lowest 

 purlieus of an inn, they acquired in the north an habitual 

 taste for railway transactions ; and when the mania was 

 at its zenith they snatched the opportunity of gaining a 

 position that gave them such an amount of patronage as 

 would at any time ensure their election for small 

 constituencies, such as Salisbury, York, Bodmin, Harwich, 

 and similar places. 



" 'Tis success that colours all in life : 



Success makes fools admired and villains honest. 

 All the vain pomp and glory of the world 

 Wait on success and power, howe'er acquired." 



At the time of my coming home from sea my father 

 was in London, Avhere he had purchased a very large 



VOL. I. F 



