"Look at that serious-seeming personage, who walks from one end of the room as if he meant to commit suicide at the other."
"That is one of our patrician diseurs, or rather faiseurs, of bons mots,—one who says good things, not as if he had any pleasure or vanity in saying them, but rather, in the very spirit of our nation, as if he had a stock on hand he was desirous to dispose of to the best advantage. Many of his ideas are very original: talking of the picturesque the other day, he said,—'So common is it, indeed, that every body travels to talk about it; when I travel, my carriage shall only have a skylight.' He has an odd habit, or rather affectation, of muttering to himself what he intends afterwards to say; for example, 'Woman,—yes, very pretty,—but too much colour; I must ask who she is.' 'Wine,—I see there a man I must ask to take wine with me—great bore;' and then follows, 'Shall I have the honour, pleasure,' or whatever form the great question of wine may take. Lord E., who knew his habit, resolved one day to set up an opposition muttering, and forthwith commenced, 'Wine,—yes, wine; I see there a man I would not take wine with if he asked me.' But do you
