and India-bonds, removed to a house in the country, which his father
had built near the sea-side, for the convenience of carrying on a
certain branch of traffic in which he had been deeply concerned.

Here then Mr. Pickle fixed his habitation for life, in the
six-and-thirtieth year of his age; and though the pangs he felt at
parting with his intimate companions, and quitting all his former
connections, were not quite so keen as to produce any dangerous
disorder in his constitution, he did not fail to be extremely
disconcerted at his first entrance into a scene of life to which
he was totally a stranger. Not but that he met with abundance
of people in the country, who, in consideration of his fortune,
courted his acquaintance, and breathed nothing but friendship and
hospitality; yet, even the trouble of receiving and returning these
civilities was an intolerable fatigue to a man of his habits and
disposition. He therefore left the care of the ceremonial to his
sister, who indulged herself in all the pride of formality; while
he himself, having made a discovery of a public-house in the
neighbourhood, went thither every evening and enjoyed his pipe and
can; being very well satisfied with the behaviour of the landlord,
whose communicative temper was a great comfort to his own taciturnity;
for he shunned all superfluity of speech, as much as he avoided
any other unnecessary expense.





CHAPTER II.