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afforded him； of performing to his heart's content on the first
violin。
MR。 ROBERT BOLTON： THE 'GENTLEMAN CONNECTED WITH THE PRESS'
In the parlour of the Green Dragon； a public…house in the immediate
neighbourhood of Westminster Bridge； everybody talks politics；
every evening； the great political authority being Mr。 Robert
Bolton； an individual who defines himself as 'a gentleman connected
with the press；' which is a definition of peculiar indefiniteness。
Mr。 Robert Bolton's regular circle of admirers and listeners are an
undertaker； a greengrocer； a hairdresser； a baker； a large stomach
surmounted by a man's head； and placed on the top of two
particularly short legs； and a thin man in black； name； profession；
and pursuit unknown； who always sits in the same position； always
displays the same long； vacant face； and never opens his lips；
surrounded as he is by most enthusiastic conversation； except to
puff forth a volume of tobacco smoke； or give vent to a very
snappy； loud； and shrill HEM！ The conversation sometimes turns
upon literature； Mr。 Bolton being a literary character； and always
upon such news of the day as is exclusively possessed by that
talented individual。 I found myself （of course； accidentally） in
the Green Dragon the other evening； and； being somewhat amused by
the following conversation； preserved it。
'Can you lend me a ten…pound note till Christmas？' inquired the
hairdresser of the stomach。
'Where's your security； Mr。 Clip？'
'My stock in trade； … there's enough of it； I'm thinking； Mr。
Thicknesse。 Some fifty wigs； two poles； half…a…dozen head blocks；
and a dead Bruin。'
'No； I won't； then；' growled out Thicknesse。 'I lends nothing on
the security of the whigs or the Poles either。 As for whigs；
they're cheats； as for the Poles； they've got no cash。 I never
have nothing to do with blockheads； unless I can't awoid it
（ironically）； and a dead bear's about as much use to me as I could
be to a dead bear。'
'Well； then；' urged the other； 'there's a book as belonged to Pope；
Byron's Poems； valued at forty pounds； because it's got Pope's
identical scratch on the back； what do you think of that for
security？'
'Well； to be sure！' cried the baker。 'But how d'ye mean； Mr。
Clip？'
'Mean！ why； that it's got the HOTTERGRUFF of Pope。
〃Steal not this book； for fear of hangman's rope；
For it belongs to Alexander Pope。〃
All that's written on the inside of the binding of the book； so； as
my son says； we're BOUND to believe it。'
'Well； sir；' observed the undertaker； deferentially； and in a half…
whisper； leaning over the table； and knocking over the
hairdresser's grog as he spoke； 'that argument's very easy upset。'
'Perhaps； sir；' said Clip； a little flurried； 'you'll pay for the
first upset afore you thinks of another。'
'Now；' said the undertaker； bowing amicably to the hairdresser； 'I
THINK； I says I THINK … you'll excuse me； Mr。 Clip； I THINK； you
see； that won't go down with the present company … unfortunately；
my master had the honour of making the coffin of that ere Lord's
housemaid； not no more nor twenty year ago。 Don't think I'm proud
on it； gentlemen； others might be； but I hate rank of any sort。
I've no more respect for a Lord's footman than I have for any
respectable tradesman in this room。 I may say no more nor I have
for Mr。 Clip！ （bowing）。 Therefore； that ere Lord must have been
born long after Pope died。 And it's a logical interference to
defer； that they neither of them lived at the same time。 So what I
mean is this here； that Pope never had no book； never seed； felt；
never smelt no book （triumphantly） as belonged to that ere Lord。
And； gentlemen； when I consider how patiently you have 'eared the
ideas what I have expressed； I feel bound； as the best way to
reward you for the kindness you have exhibited； to sit down without
saying anything more … partickler as I perceive a worthier visitor
nor myself is just entered。 I am not in the habit of paying
compliments； gentlemen； when I do； therefore； I hope I strikes with
double force。'
'Ah； Mr。 Murgatroyd！ what's all this about striking with double
force？' said the object of the above remark； as he entered。 'I
never excuse a man's getting into a rage during winter； even when
he's seated so close to the fire as you are。 It is very
injudicious to put yourself into such a perspiration。 What is the
cause of this extreme physical and mental excitement； sir？'
Such was the very philosophical address of Mr。 Robert Bolton； a
shorthand…writer； as he termed himself … a bit of equivoque passing
current among his fraternity； which must give the uninitiated a
vast idea of the establishment of the ministerial organ； while to
the initiated it signifies that no one paper can lay claim to the
enjoyment of their services。 Mr。 Bolton was a young man； with a
somewhat sickly and very dissipated expression of countenance。 His
habiliments were composed of an exquisite union of gentility；
slovenliness； assumption； simplicity； NEWNESS； and old age。 Half
of him was dressed for the winter； the other half for the summer。
His hat was of the newest cut； the D'Orsay； his trousers had been
white； but the inroads of mud and ink； etc。； had given them a pie…
bald appearance； round his throat he wore a very high black cravat；
of the most tyrannical stiffness； while his TOUT ENSEMBLE was
hidden beneath the enormous folds of an old brown poodle…collared
great…coat； which was closely buttoned up to the aforesaid cravat。
His fingers peeped through the ends of his black kid gloves； and
two of the toes of each foot took a similar view of society through
the extremities of his high…lows。 Sacred to the bare walls of his
garret be the mysteries of his interior dress！ He was a short；
spare man； of a somewhat inferior deportment。 Everybody seemed
influenced by his entry into the room； and his salutation of each
member partook of the patronizing。 The hairdresser made way for
him between himself and the stomach。 A minute afterwards he had
taken possession of his pint and pipe。 A pause in the conversation
took place。 Everybody was waiting； anxious for his first
observation。
'Horrid murder in Westminster this morning；' observed Mr。 Bolton。
Everybody changed their positions。 All eyes were fixed upon the
man of paragraphs。
'A baker murdered his son by boiling him in a copper；' said Mr。
Bolton。
'Good heavens！' exclaimed everybody； in simultaneous horror。
'Boiled him； gentlemen！' added Mr。 Bolton； with the most effective
emphasis； 'BOILED him！'
'And the particulars； Mr。 B。；' inquired the hairdresser； 'the
particulars？'
Mr。 Bolton took a very long draught of porter； and some two or
three dozen whiffs of tobacco； doubtless to instil into the
commercial capacities of the company the superiority of a gentlemen
connected with the press； and then said …
'The man was a baker； gentlemen。' （Every one looked at the baker
present； who stared at Bolton。） 'His victim； being his son； also
was necessarily the son of a baker。 The wretched murderer had a
wife； whom he was frequently in the habit； while in an intoxicated
state； of kicking； pummelling； flinging mugs at； knocking down； and
half…killing while in bed； by inserting in her mouth a considerable
portion of a sheet or blanket。'
The speaker took another draught； everybody looked at everybody
else； and exclaimed； 'Horrid！'
'It appears in evidence； gentlemen；' continued Mr。 Bolton； 'that；
on the evening of yesterday； Sawyer the baker came home in a
reprehensible state of beer。 Mrs。 S。； connubially considerate；
carried him in that condition up…stairs into his chamber； and
consigned him to their mutual couch。 In a minute or two she lay
sleeping beside the man whom the morrow's dawn beheld a murderer！'
（Entire silence informed the reporter that his picture had attained
the awful effect he desired。） 'The son came home about an hour
afterwards； opened the door； and went up to bed。 Scarcely
（gentlemen； conceive his feelings of alarm）； scarcely had he taken
off his indescribables； when shrieks （to his experienced ear
MATERNAL shrieks） scared the silence of surrounding night。 He put
his indescribables on again； and ran down…stairs。 He opened the
door of the parental bed…chamber。 His father was dancing upon his
mother。 What must have been his feelings！ In the agony of the
minute he rushed at his male parent as he was about to plunge a
knife into the side of his female。 The mother shrieked。 The
father caught the son （who had wrested the knife from the paternal
grasp） up in his arms； carried him down…stairs； shoved him into a
copper of boiling water among some linen； closed the lid； and
jumped upon the top of it； in which position he was found with a
ferocious countenance by the mother； who arrived in the melanc