sketches of young gentlemen(年轻绅士素描)-第4章
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SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN
find their way into society； through the medium of the other class of out…
and…out young gentlemen； who will sometimes carry them home； and who
usually pay their tavern bills。 As they are equally gentlemanly； clever；
witty； intelligent； wise； and well…bred； we need scarcely have
recommended them to the peculiar consideration of the young ladies； if it
were not that some of the gentle creatures whom we hold in such high
respect； are perhaps a little too apt to confound a great many heavier terms
with the light word eccentricity； which we beg them henceforth to take in a
strictly Johnsonian sense； without any liberality or latitude of construction。
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SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN
THE VERY FRIENDLY YOUNG
GENTLEMAN
We know … and all people know … so many specimens of this class； that
in selecting the few heads our limits enable us to take from a great number；
we have been induced to give the very friendly young gentleman the
preference over many others； to whose claims upon a more cursory view
of the question we had felt disposed to assign the priority。
The very friendly young gentleman is very friendly to everybody； but
he attaches himself particularly to two； or at most to three families：
regulating his choice by their dinners； their circle of acquaintance； or some
other criterion in which he has an immediate interest。 He is of any age
between twenty and forty； unmarried of course； must be fond of children；
and is expected to make himself generally useful if possible。 Let us
illustrate our meaning by an example； which is the shortest mode and the
clearest。
We encountered one day； by chance； an old friend of whom we had
lost sight for some years； and who … expressing a strong anxiety to renew
our former intimacy … urged us to dine with him on an early day； that we
might talk over old times。 We readily assented； adding； that we hoped
we should be alone。 'Oh； certainly； certainly；' said our friend； 'not a soul
with us but Mincin。' 'And who is Mincin？' was our natural inquiry。 'O
don't mind him；' replied our friend； 'he's a most particular friend of mine；
and a very friendly fellow you will find him；' and so he left us。
'We thought no more about Mincin until we duly presented ourselves
at the house next day； when； after a hearty welcome； our friend motioned
towards a gentleman who had been previously showing his teeth by the
fireplace； and gave us to understand that it was Mr。 Mincin； of whom he
had spoken。 It required no great penetration on our part to discover at
once that Mr。 Mincin was in every respect a very friendly young
gentleman。
'I am delighted；' said Mincin； hastily advancing； and pressing our hand
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SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN
warmly between both of his； 'I am delighted； I am sure； to make your
acquaintance … （here he smiled） … very much delighted indeed … （here he
exhibited a little emotion） … I assure you that I have looked forward to it
anxiously for a very long time：' here he released our hands； and rubbing
his own； observed； that the day was severe； but that he was delighted to
perceive from our appearance that it agreed with us wonderfully； and then
went on to observe； that； notwithstanding the coldness of the weather； he
had that morning seen in the paper an exceedingly curious paragraph； to
the effect； that there was now in the garden of Mr。 Wilkins of Chichester； a
pumpkin； measuring four feet in height； and eleven feet seven inches in
circumference； which he looked upon as a very extraordinary piece of
intelligence。 We ventured to remark； that we had a dim recollection of
having once or twice before observed a similar paragraph in the public
prints； upon which Mr。 Mincin took us confidentially by the button； and
said； Exactly； exactly； to be sure； we were very right； and he wondered
what the editors meant by putting in such things。 Who the deuce； he
should like to know； did they suppose cared about them？ that struck him as
being the best of it。
The lady of the house appeared shortly afterwards； and Mr。 Mincin's
friendliness； as will readily be supposed； suffered no diminution in
consequence； he exerted much strength and skill in wheeling a large easy…
chair up to the fire； and the lady being seated in it； carefully closed the
door； stirred the fire； and looked to the windows to see that they admitted
no air； having satisfied himself upon all these points； he expressed himself
quite easy in his mind； and begged to know how she found herself to…day。
Upon the lady's replying very well； Mr。 Mincin （who it appeared was a
medical gentleman） offered some general remarks upon the nature and
treatment of colds in the head； which occupied us agreeably until dinner…
time。 During the meal； he devoted himself to complimenting everybody；
not forgetting himself； so that we were an uncommonly agreeable
quartette。
'I'll tell you what； Capper；' said Mr。 Mincin to our host； as he closed
the room door after the lady had retired； 'you have very great reason to be
fond of your wife。 Sweet woman； Mrs。 Capper； sir！' 'Nay； Mincin … I
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SKETCHES OF YOUNG GENTLEMEN
beg；' interposed the host； as we were about to reply that Mrs。 Capper
unquestionably was particularly sweet。 'Pray； Mincin； don't。' 'Why not？'
exclaimed Mr。 Mincin； 'why not？ Why should you feel any delicacy before
your old friend … OUR old friend； if I may be allowed to call you so； sir；
why should you； I ask？' We of course wished to know why he should
also； upon which our friend admitted that Mrs。 Capper WAS a very sweet
woman； at which admission Mr。 Mincin cried 'Bravo！' and begged to
propose Mrs。 Capper with heartfelt enthusiasm； whereupon our host said；
'Thank you； Mincin；' with deep feeling； and gave us； in a low voice； to
understand； that Mincin had saved Mrs。 Capper's cousin's life no less than
fourteen times in a year and a half； which he considered no common
circumstance … an opinion to which we most cordially subscribed。
Now that we three were left to entertain ourselves with conversation；
Mr。 Mincin's extreme friendliness became every moment more apparent；
he was so amazingly friendly； indeed； that it was impossible to talk about
anything in which he had not the chief concern。 We happened to allude
to some affairs in which our friend and we had been mutually engaged
nearly fourteen years before； when Mr。 Mincin was all at once reminded of
a joke which our friend had made on that day four years； which he
positively must insist upon telling … and which he did tell accordingly； with
many pleasant recollections of what he said； and what Mrs。 Capper said；
and how he well remembered that they had been to the play with orders on
the
