MR. HENRY PAD WICK. 



never followed it as a profession. The business he 

 devoted himself to was money-lending, which he 

 carried on in a much larger way than any man of his 

 day. He had his own method of transacting business, 

 and would take for securities things that the staid 

 banker would reject as too risky. And he was 

 justified in the result, for he amassed a very large 

 fortune. He commenced business in Davis Street, 

 Berkeley Square ; there, at all events, I first became 

 acquainted with him — a house as well known to needy 

 politicians, noblemen, minors, and the owners of 

 ancestral but encumbered estates, as is Capel Court to 

 City men who must have the excitement of gambling 

 in some form — the danger of which, I may add, Mr. 

 Pad wick, astute as he was, learned to his sorrow at 

 one period of his life. As a money-lender Mr. 

 Padwick had, I need scarcely say, many more cus- 

 tomers than he chose, or indeed was able to supply, 

 despite the large resources at his back ; for he 

 worked other capital besides his own. From 

 Messrs. Hill and Gully, when the latter had 

 money, and from sundry private banking firms 

 and joint-stock banks, both town and country, 

 he received liberal supplies. To these the 10 per 

 cent, which Padwick could afford to pay, was an 

 irresistible bait when money was at 1 or lj per 

 cent. ; not that it is to be supposed the money was 

 advanced without ample security in the shape of 

 deposit of mortgage-deeds, or at least bills with the 



