Sketches of Young Gentlemen | Page 4

the one general
direction to 'make that what's-a-name a regular bang-up sort of thing.'
For some years past, the favourite costume of the out-and-out young

gentleman has been a rough pilot coat, with two gilt hooks and eyes to
the velvet collar; buttons somewhat larger than crown-pieces; a black
or fancy neckerchief, loosely tied; a wide-brimmed hat, with a low
crown; tightish inexpressibles, and iron-shod boots. Out of doors he
sometimes carries a large ash stick, but only on special occasions, for
he prefers keeping his hands in his coat pockets. He smokes at all hours,
of course, and swears considerably.
The out-and-out young gentleman is employed in a city counting-
house or solicitor's office, in which he does as little as he possibly can:
his chief places of resort are, the streets, the taverns, and the theatres. In
the streets at evening time, out- and-out young gentlemen have a
pleasant custom of walking six or eight abreast, thus driving females
and other inoffensive persons into the road, which never fails to afford
them the highest satisfaction, especially if there be any immediate
danger of their being run over, which enhances the fun of the thing
materially. In all places of public resort, the out-and-outers are careful
to select each a seat to himself, upon which he lies at full length, and (if
the weather be very dirty, but not in any other case) he lies with his
knees up, and the soles of his boots planted firmly on the cushion, so
that if any low fellow should ask him to make room for a lady, he takes
ample revenge upon her dress, without going at all out of his way to do
it. He always sits with his hat on, and flourishes his stick in the air
while the play is proceeding, with a dignified contempt of the
performance; if it be possible for one or two out-and-out young
gentlemen to get up a little crowding in the passages, they are quite in
their element, squeezing, pushing, whooping, and shouting in the most
humorous manner possible. If they can only succeed in irritating the
gentleman who has a family of daughters under his charge, they are like
to die with laughing, and boast of it among their companions for a
week afterwards, adding, that one or two of them were 'devilish fine
girls,' and that they really thought the youngest would have fainted,
which was the only thing wanted to render the joke complete.
If the out-and-out young gentleman have a mother and sisters, of course
he treats them with becoming contempt, inasmuch as they (poor things!)
having no notion of life or gaiety, are far too weak-spirited and moping
for him. Sometimes, however, on a birth- day or at Christmas-time, he
cannot very well help accompanying them to a party at some old

friend's, with which view he comes home when they have been dressed
an hour or two, smelling very strongly of tobacco and spirits, and after
exchanging his rough coat for some more suitable attire (in which
however he loses nothing of the out-and-outer), gets into the coach and
grumbles all the way at his own good nature: his bitter reflections
aggravated by the recollection, that Tom Smith has taken the chair at a
little impromptu dinner at a fighting man's, and that a set-to was to take
place on a dining-table, between the fighting man and his brother-
in-law, which is probably 'coming off' at that very instant.
As the out-and-out young gentleman is by no means at his ease in
ladies' society, he shrinks into a corner of the drawing-room when they
reach the friend's, and unless one of his sisters is kind enough to talk to
him, remains there without being much troubled by the attentions of
other people, until he espies, lingering outside the door, another
gentleman, whom he at once knows, by his air and manner (for there is
a kind of free-masonry in the craft), to be a brother out-and-outer, and
towards whom he accordingly makes his way. Conversation being soon
opened by some casual remark, the second out-and-outer confidentially
informs the first, that he is one of the rough sort and hates that kind of
thing, only he couldn't very well be off coming; to which the other
replies, that that's just his case-'and I'll tell you what,' continues the out-
and-outer in a whisper, 'I should like a glass of warm brandy and water
just now,'-'Or a pint of stout and a pipe,' suggests the other
out-and-outer.
The discovery is at once made that they are sympathetic souls; each of
them says at the same moment, that he sees the other understands
what's what: and they become fast friends at once, more especially
when it appears, that the second out-and-outer