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in this thriving Hall； I fancied I detected a shyness in admitting
that human nature when at leisure has any desire whatever to be
relieved and diverted； and a furtive sliding in of any poor make…
weight piece of amusement； shame…facedly and edgewise。 Thus； I
observed that it was necessary for the members to be knocked on the
head with Gas； Air； Water； Food； the Solar System； the Geological
periods； Criticism on Milton； the Steam…engine； John Bunyan； and
Arrow…Headed Inscriptions； before they might be tickled by those
unaccountable choristers； the negro singers in the court costume of
the reign of George the Second。 Likewise； that they must be
stunned by a weighty inquiry whether there was internal evidence in
Shakespeare's works； to prove that his uncle by the mother's side
lived for some years at Stoke Newington； before they were brought…
to by a Miscellaneous Concert。 But； indeed； the masking of
entertainment； and pretending it was something else … as people
mask bedsteads when they are obliged to have them in sitting…rooms；
and make believe that they are book…cases； sofas； chests of
drawers； anything rather than bedsteads … was manifest even in the
pretence of dreariness that the unfortunate entertainers themselves
felt obliged in decency to put forth when they came here。 One very
agreeable professional singer； who travelled with two professional
ladies； knew better than to introduce either of those ladies to
sing the ballad 'Comin' through the Rye' without prefacing it
himself； with some general remarks on wheat and clover； and even
then； he dared not for his life call the song； a song； but
disguised it in the bill as an 'Illustration。' In the library；
also … fitted with shelves for three thousand books； and containing
upwards of one hundred and seventy （presented copies mostly）；
seething their edges in damp plaster … there was such a painfully
apologetic return of 62 offenders who had read Travels； Popular
Biography； and mere Fiction descriptive of the aspirations of the
hearts and souls of mere human creatures like themselves； and such
an elaborate parade of 2 bright examples who had had down Euclid
after the day's occupation and confinement； and 3 who had had down
Metaphysics after ditto； and 1 who had had down Theology after
ditto； and 4 who had worried Grammar； Political Economy； Botany；
and Logarithms all at once after ditto； that I suspected the
boasted class to be one man； who had been hired to do it。
Emerging from the Mechanics' Institution and continuing my walk
about the town； I still noticed everywhere the prevalence； to an
extraordinary degree； of this custom of putting the natural demand
for amusement out of sight； as some untidy housekeepers put dust；
and pretending that it was swept away。 And yet it was ministered
to； in a dull and abortive manner； by all who made this feint。
Looking in at what is called in Dullborough 'the serious
bookseller's；' where； in my childhood； I had studied the faces of
numbers of gentlemen depicted in rostrums with a gaslight on each
side of them； and casting my eyes over the open pages of certain
printed discourses there； I found a vast deal of aiming at jocosity
and dramatic effect； even in them … yes； verily； even on the part
of one very wrathful expounder who bitterly anathematised a poor
little Circus。 Similarly； in the reading provided for the young
people enrolled in the Lasso of Love； and other excellent unions； I
found the writers generally under a distressing sense that they
must start （at all events） like story…tellers； and delude the young
persons into the belief that they were going to be interesting。 As
I looked in at this window for twenty minutes by the clock； I am in
a position to offer a friendly remonstrance … not bearing on this
particular point … to the designers and engravers of the pictures
in those publications。 Have they considered the awful consequences
likely to flow from their representations of Virtue？ Have they
asked themselves the question； whether the terrific prospect of
acquiring that fearful chubbiness of head； unwieldiness of arm；
feeble dislocation of leg； crispiness of hair； and enormity of
shirt…collar； which they represent as inseparable from Goodness；
may not tend to confirm sensitive waverers； in Evil？ A most
impressive example （if I had believed it） of what a Dustman and a
Sailor may come to； when they mend their ways； was presented to me
in this same shop…window。 When they were leaning （they were
intimate friends） against a post； drunk and reckless； with
surpassingly bad hats on； and their hair over their foreheads； they
were rather picturesque； and looked as if they might be agreeable
men； if they would not be beasts。 But； when they had got over
their bad propensities； and when； as a consequence； their heads had
swelled alarmingly； their hair had got so curly that it lifted
their blown…out cheeks up； their coat…cuffs were so long that they
never could do any work； and their eyes were so wide open that they
never could do any sleep； they presented a spectacle calculated to
plunge a timid nature into the depths of Infamy。
But； the clock that had so degenerated since I saw it last；
admonished me that I had stayed here long enough； and I resumed my
walk。
I had not gone fifty paces along the street when I was suddenly
brought up by the sight of a man who got out of a little phaeton at
the doctor's door； and went into the doctor's house。 Immediately；
the air was filled with the scent of trodden grass； and the
perspective of years opened； and at the end of it was a little
likeness of this man keeping a wicket； and I said； 'God bless my
soul！ Joe Specks！'
Through many changes and much work； I had preserved a tenderness
for the memory of Joe； forasmuch as we had made the acquaintance of
Roderick Random together； and had believed him to be no ruffian；
but an ingenuous and engaging hero。 Scorning to ask the boy left
in the phaeton whether it was really Joe； and scorning even to read
the brass plate on the door … so sure was I … I rang the bell and
informed the servant maid that a stranger sought audience of Mr。
Specks。 Into a room； half surgery； half study； I was shown to
await his coming； and I found it； by a series of elaborate
accidents； bestrewn with testimonies to Joe。 Portrait of Mr。
Specks； bust of Mr。 Specks； silver cup from grateful patient to Mr。
Specks； presentation sermon from local clergyman； dedication poem
from local poet； dinner…card from local nobleman； tract on balance
of power from local refugee； inscribed HOMMAGE DE L'AUTEUR E
SPECKS。
When my old schoolfellow came in； and I informed him with a smile
that I was not a patient； he seemed rather at a loss to perceive
any reason for smiling in connexion with that fact； and inquired to
what was he to attribute the honour？ I asked him with another
smile； could he remember me at all？ He had not （he said） that
pleasure。 I was beginning to have but a poor opinion of Mr。
Specks； when he said reflectively； 'And yet there's a something
too。' Upon that； I saw a boyish light in his eyes that looked
well； and I asked him if he could inform me； as a stranger who
desired to know and had not the means of reference at hand； what
the name of the young lady was； who married Mr。 Random？ Upon that；
he said 'Narcissa；' and； after staring for a moment； called me by
my name； shook me by the hand； and melted into a roar of laughter。
'Why； of course； you'll remember Lucy Green；' he said； after we had
talked a little。 'Of course；' said I。 'Whom do you think she
married？' said he。 'You？' I hazarded。 'Me；' said Specks； 'and you
shall see her。' So I saw her； and she was fat； and if all the hay
in the world had been heaped upon her； it could scarcely have
altered her face more than Time had altered it from my remembrance
of the face that had once looked down upon me into the fragrant
dungeons of Seringapatam。 But when her youngest child came in
after dinner （for I dined with them； and we had no other company
than Specks； Junior； Barrister…at…law； who went away as soon as the
cloth was removed； to look after the young lady to whom he was
going to be married next week）； I saw again； in that little
daughter； the little face of the hayfield； unchanged； and it quite
touched my foolish heart。 We talked immensely； Specks and Mrs。
Specks； and I； and we spoke of our old selves as though our old
selves were dead and gone； and indeed； indeed they were … dead and
gone as the playing…field that had become a wilderness of rusty
iron； and the property of S。E。R。
Specks； however； illuminated Dullborough with the rays of interest
that I wanted and should otherwise have missed in it； and linked
its present to its past； with a highly agreeable chain。 And in
Specks's society I had new occasion to observe what I had before
noticed in similar communications among other men。 All