f
grooms, jockeys, tradesmen, daily waiting in his anteroom, and admitted
one by one to him and Parson Sampson, over his chocolate, by Gumbo, the
groom of the chambers. We have no account of the number of men whom Mr.
Gumbo now had under him. Certain it is that no single negro could have
taken care of all the fine things which Mr. Warrington now possessed,
let alone the horses and the postchaise which his honour had bought.
Also Harry instructed himself in the arts which became a gentleman in
those days. A French fencing-master, and a dancing-master of the same
nation, resided at Tunbridge during that season when Harry made
his appearance: these men of science the young Virginian sedulously
frequented, and acquired considerable skill and grace in the peaceful
and warlike accomplishments which they taught. Ere many weeks were over
he could handle the foils against his master or any frequenter of the
fencing-school,--and, with a sigh, Lady Maria (who danced very elegantly
herself) owned that there was no gentleman at court who could walk a
minuet more gracefully than Mr. Warrington. As for riding, though Mr.
Warrington took a few lessons on the great horse from a riding-master
who came to Tunbridge, he declared that their own Virginian manner was
well enough for him, and that he saw no one amongst the fine folks
and the jockeys who could ride better than his friend Colonel George
Washington of Mount Vernon.

The obsequious Sampson found himself in better quarters than he had
enjoyed for ever so long a time. He knew a great deal of the world, and
told a great deal more, and Harry was delighted with his stories, real
or fancied. The man of twenty looks up to the man of thirty, admires
the latter's old jokes, stale puns, and tarnished anecdotes, that are
slopped with the wine of a hundred dinner-tables. Sampson's town and
college pleasantries were all new and charming to the young Virginian. A
hundred years ago,--no doubt there are no such people left in the world
now,--there used to be grown men in London who loved to consort with
fashionable youths entering life; to tickle their young fancies with
merry stories; to act as Covent Garden Mentors and masters of ceremonies
at the Round-house; to accompany lads to the gaming-table, and perhaps
have an understanding with the punters; to drink lemonade to Master
Hopeful's Burgundy, and to stagger into the streets with perfectly
cool heads when my young lord reeled out to beat the