Sketches of Young Gentlemen | Page 5

is no other than a
gentleman, long favourably known to his familiars as 'Mr. Warmint
Blake,' who upon divers occasions has distinguished himself in a
manner that would not have disgraced the fighting man, and who-
having been a pretty long time about town-had the honour of once
shaking hands with the celebrated Mr. Thurtell himself.
At supper, these gentlemen greatly distinguish themselves, brightening
up very much when the ladies leave the table, and proclaiming aloud
their intention of beginning to spend the evening-a process which is
generally understood to be satisfactorily performed, when a great deal

of wine is drunk and a great deal of noise made, both of which feats the
out-and-out young gentlemen execute to perfection. Having protracted
their sitting until long after the host and the other guests have adjourned
to the drawing-room, and finding that they have drained the decanters
empty, they follow them thither with complexions rather heightened,
and faces rather bloated with wine; and the agitated lady of the house
whispers her friends as they waltz together, to the great terror of the
whole room, that 'both Mr. Blake and Mr. Dummins are very nice sort
of young men in their way, only they are eccentric persons, and
unfortunately RATHER TOO WILD!'
The remaining class of out-and-out young gentlemen is composed of
persons, who, having no money of their own and a soul above earning
any, enjoy similar pleasures, nobody knows how. These respectable
gentlemen, without aiming quite so much at the out-and-out in external
appearance, are distinguished by all the same amiable and attractive
characteristics, in an equal or perhaps greater degree, and now and then
find their way into society, through the medium of the other class of
out-and-out young gentlemen, who will sometimes carry them home,
and who usually pay their tavern bills. As they are equally gentlemanly,
clever, witty, intelligent, wise, and well-bred, we need scarcely have
recommended them to the peculiar consideration of the young ladies, if
it were not that some of the gentle creatures whom we hold in such
high respect, are perhaps a little too apt to confound a great many
heavier terms with the light word eccentricity, which we beg them
henceforth to take in a strictly Johnsonian sense, without any liberality
or latitude of construction.

THE VERY FRIENDLY YOUNG GENTLEMAN

We know-and all people know-so many specimens of this class, that in
selecting the few heads our limits enable us to take from a great number,
we have been induced to give the very friendly young gentleman the
preference over many others, to whose claims upon a more cursory
view of the question we had felt disposed to assign the priority.
The very friendly young gentleman is very friendly to everybody, but
he attaches himself particularly to two, or at most to three families:
regulating his choice by their dinners, their circle of acquaintance, or

some other criterion in which he has an immediate interest. He is of any
age between twenty and forty, unmarried of course, must be fond of
children, and is expected to make himself generally useful if possible.
Let us illustrate our meaning by an example, which is the shortest mode
and the clearest.
We encountered one day, by chance, an old friend of whom we had lost
sight for some years, and who-expressing a strong anxiety to renew our
former intimacy-urged us to dine with him on an early day, that we
might talk over old times. We readily assented, adding, that we hoped
we should be alone. 'Oh, certainly, certainly,' said our friend, 'not a soul
with us but Mincin.' 'And who is Mincin?' was our natural inquiry. 'O
don't mind him,' replied our friend, 'he's a most particular friend of
mine, and a very friendly fellow you will find him;' and so he left us.
'We thought no more about Mincin until we duly presented ourselves at
the house next day, when, after a hearty welcome, our friend motioned
towards a gentleman who had been previously showing his teeth by the
fireplace, and gave us to understand that it was Mr. Mincin, of whom
he had spoken. It required no great penetration on our part to discover
at once that Mr. Mincin was in every respect a very friendly young
gentleman.
'I am delighted,' said Mincin, hastily advancing, and pressing our hand
warmly between both of his, 'I am delighted, I am sure, to make your
acquaintance-(here he smiled)-very much delighted indeed- (here he
exhibited a little emotion)-I assure you that I have looked forward to it
anxiously for a very long time:' here he released our hands, and rubbing
his own, observed, that the day was severe, but that he was delighted to
perceive from our appearance that it agreed with us wonderfully; and
then