ly is
much in appearances in this world; and it appears that, in consequence
of Jonathan's cadaverous appearance, he very soon appeared in the
_Gazette_; but what ruined Jonathan in one profession procured him
immediate employment in another. An appraiser, upholsterer, and
undertaker, who was called in to value the fixtures, fixed his eye upon
Jonathan, and knowing the value of his peculiarly lugubrious appearance,
and having a half-brother of equal height, offered him immediate
employment as a mute. Jonathan soon forgot to mourn his own loss of a
few hundreds in his new occupation of mourning the loss of thousands;
and his erect, stiff, statue-like carriage, and long melancholy face, as
he stood at the portals of those who had entered the portals of the next
world, were but too often a sarcasm upon the grief of the inheritors.
Even grief is worth nothing in this trafficking world unless it be paid
for. Jonathan buried many, and at last buried his wife. So far all was
well; but at last he buried his master, the undertaker, which was not
quite so desirable. Although Jonathan wept not, yet did he express mute
sorrow as he marshalled him to his long home, and drank to his memory in
a pot of porter as he returned from the funeral, perched, with many
others, like carrion crows on the top of the hearse.

And now Jonathan was thrown out of employment from a reason which most
people would have thought the highest recommendation. Every undertaker
refused to take him, because they could not match him. In this
unfortunate dilemma, Jonathan thought of Mr Witherington junior; he had
served and he had buried Mr Witherington his father, and Lady Mary his
mother; he felt that he had strong claims for such variety of services,
and he applied to the bachelor. Fortunately for Jonathan, Mr
Witherington's butler-incumbent was just about to commit the same folly
as Jonathan had done before, and Jonathan was again installed, resolving
in his own mind to lead his former life, and have nothing more to do
with ladies' maids. But from habit Jonathan still carried himself as a
mute on all ordinary occasions--never indulging in an approximation to
mirth, except when he perceived that his master was in high spirits, and
then rather from a sense of duty than from any real hilarity of heart.

Jonathan was no mean scholar for his station in life, and during his
service with the undertaker, he had acquired the English of all the
Latin mottoes