the manner in which he acquits himself in the
department in which he is placed, evinces a degree of superiority over
his fellow labourer, and gratifies his _amour propre_ with the thought.
Even a scavenger would endeavour to persuade you that he has a peculiar
manner of sweeping the streets exclusively his own, and that his method
of shovelling up the mud and pitching it into the cart is quite unique,
and in fact that his innate talent is such that, it has eventually
placed him at the summit of his profession. This may appear, perhaps, to
some of my readers rather overdrawn, but the following instance which
came under my own observation is not much less extravagant.

A man who was in the habit of cleaning my boots, had a most incorrigible
propensity for garrulity, and as I like in a foreign country to obtain
some insight into the ideas and feelings of all classes, I did not care
to check the poor fellow in the indulgence of his favourite _penchant_,
particularly as his remarks were always proffered with a tone of the
most profound respect for my august person. Finding one morning that my
boots had not been polished quite so well as usual, the next time I saw
the shoeblack I mentioned the circumstance to him. "_Ah! Sir_," he
exclaimed with a deep sigh, "that is one of the many instances of the
ingratitude of human nature; I confided those boots to the boy whom you
must have seen come with me to fetch yours and the other gentlemen's
shoes or clothes for brushing, etc. Well, sir, that young urchin is a
protege of mine; I took him, sir, from the lowest obscurity and made him
what he is; I taught him my profession, I endowed him with all the
benefit of my experience, and with respect to blacking shoes, I have
initiated him into all the little mysteries of the art, and can declare
that there is not one in the business throughout all Paris that can
surpass him, when he chooses to exert his talents; and therefore it
renders it the more unpardonable that he should slight one of my best
customers." Judging, I suppose, from the expression of my countenance
that I did not appear to be deeply infused with a very exalted idea of
what he termed the mysteries of his art, he continued, "You may think as
you please, sir, but there is much more ability required in blacking
shoes than you may imagine, and that boy is well aware of it; he knows
how I began by first instructing him in all the fundamental principles
of the art; and gradually l