ny things he had seen in his early travels, he had
had glimpses into so many wide fields of interest that led his mind
astray. But none of these seemed to the steady-going old Militia captain
to show a practical opening for his second son, whom, therefore, we find
copying legal documents in a "strange old house occupying one side of a
long and narrow court," instead of going a-viking with the Norseman or
roving with the wild Welsh bard.

Borrow has left us a striking picture of the head of the firm of Simpson
and Rackham; a picture drawn with that wealth of detail and
uncompromising truthfulness which would have made the worthy gentleman
tremble had he known at the time what a keen observer he was receiving
beneath his roof. "A more respectable-looking individual was never
seen," writes his erstwhile pupil; "he really looked what he was, a
gentleman of the law--there was nothing of the pettifogger about him:
somewhat under middle size, and somewhat rotund in person, he was always
dressed in a full suit of black, never worn long enough to become
threadbare. His face was rubicund, and not without keenness; but the
most remarkable thing about him was his head, which was bald, and shone
like polished ivory, nothing more white, smooth and lustrous. Some
people have said that he wore false calves, probably because his black
silk stockings never exhibited a wrinkle; they might as well have said
that he waddled because his shoes creaked, for these last, which were
always without a speck, and polished as his crown, though of a different
hue, did creak, as he walked rather slowly. I cannot say that I ever saw
him walk fast."

And then follows a little glimpse into the provincial life of the old
Norfolk capital that shows how little change there has been in the aims
and habits of a certain portion of the middle class since the first
quarter of the century. "He had a handsome practice, and might have died
a very rich man, much richer than he did, had he not been in the habit of
giving rather expensive dinners to certain great people, who gave him
nothing in return, except their company."

This worthy old gentleman must have been sorely puzzled as to what he
should make of the tall, spare, serious-looking lad who was placed under
his charge. He confessed to the old captain that the latter's son was "a
very extraordinary youth, a most remarkable youth, indeed;" and we can
well believe him. On one occasion, Borrow showed a o