any 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.

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
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, th