the through the legs, vich is holler.'

But the usually dutiful Sam showed so little enthusiasm for
his father's scheme that nothing more was heard of it.

CHAPTER III

VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS

FLUTE, ORGAN, GUITAR (AND SOME HUMMERS)

_Flute_

We find several references to the flute, and Dickens contrives
to get much innocent fun out of it. First comes Mr. Mell,
who used to carry his instrument about with him and who, in
response to his mother's invitation to 'have a blow at it'
while David Copperfield was having his breakfast, made, said
David, 'the most dismal sounds I have ever heard produced
by any means, natural or artificial.' After he had finished
he unscrewed his flute into three pieces, and deposited them
underneath the skirts of his coat.

Dickens' schoolmasters seem to have been partial to the
flute. Mr. Squeers, it is true, was not a flautist, but
Mr. Feeder, B.A., was, or rather he was going to be. When
little Paul Dombey visited his tutor's room he saw 'a flute
which Mr. Feeder couldn't play yet, but was going to make a
point of learning, he said, hanging up over the fireplace.'

He also had a beautiful little curly second-hand 'key bugle,'
which was also on the list of things to be accomplished on
some future occasion, in fact he has unlimited confidence in
the power and influence of music. Here is his advice to the
love-stricken Mr. Toots, whom he recommends to

learn the guitar, or at least the flute; for women
like music when you are paying your addresses to 'em,
and he has found the advantage of it himself.

The flute was the instrument that Mr. Richard Swiveller took
to when he heard that Sophy Wackles was lost to him for ever,

thinking that it was a good, sound, dismal occupation,
not only in unison with his own sad thoughts, but
calculated to awaken a fellow feeling in the bosoms
of his neighbours.

So he got out his flute, arranged the light and a small
oblong music-book to the best advantage, and began to play
'most mournfully.'

The air was 'Away with Melancholy,' a composition which,
when it is played very slowly on the flute, in bed,
with the further disadvantage of being performed
by a gentleman but imperfectly acquainted with the
instrument, who repeats one note a great many times
before he can find the next, has not a lively effect.

So Mr. Swiveller spent half the night or more over this pleasing
exercise, mere