U'2 COCKPIT 



such occasions, being on the best of terms wdth Mr. 

 Jackson. He asked me to dine with him, stating that he 

 should have to leave me early, as he had to attend at the 

 pit at Westminster. Not being better engaged, I accepted 

 his invitation. At the table he ventured an apology, 

 told me the nature of his engagement, and expressed 

 regret that he could not introduce me, tickets not beino; 

 obtainable for any money, nor even by any favour — Avhich 

 did not fail to strengthen my desire of witnessing the 

 scene. 



Accordingly, rising after wine, he Avould have taken 

 leave of me at his door, but I, saying that I was going 

 down Parliament Street, we walked together. At the 

 corner of Bridge Street he would have left me, but I 

 expressed a desire to see him to the entrance, for I did 

 not knoAV where this celebrated pit was. I did so, and 

 taking leave of me, he went in. Instead of returning, I 

 suddenly resolved upon following him. He was a full- 

 sized man, both in height and width, and occupied the 

 whole passage which led to where the person who Avas 

 appointed to take the tickets, sat. I observed my friend 

 give him an authoritative nod, and following immediately 

 in his wake, unknown to him, did the same, and was 

 allowed to pass without a question. 



On entering the arena, I turned in an opposite direction 

 to that which my friend took, and got an excellent place, 

 both for a view of what was going on as ^v^ell as of the 

 two foreign princes, who stood on each side the Duke of 

 Devonshire ; his Grace was conspicuous for the silver 

 trumpet he constantly applied to his ear, being, as I 

 supposed, very deaf. The fine figures of both the 



