planted a human advantage for tendering my homage to Miss Fanny. In
defiance of all his honourable vigilance, no sooner had he presented to
us his mighty Jovian back (what a field for displaying to mankind his
royal scarlet!), whilst inspecting professionally the buckles, the
straps, and the silvery turrets [Footnote: "_Turrets_":--As one who
loves and venerates Chaucer for his unrivalled merits of tenderness, of
picturesque characterisation, and of narrative skill, I noticed with
great pleasure that the word _torrettes_ is used by him to designate
the little devices through which the reins are made to pass. This same
word, in the same exact sense, I heard uniformly used by many scores of
illustrious mail-coachmen to whose confidential friendship I had the
honour of being admitted in my younger days.] of his harness, than I
raised Miss Fanny's hand to my lips, and, by the mixed tenderness and
respectfulness of my manner, caused her easily to understand how happy
it would make me to rank upon her list as No. 10 or 12: in which case a
few casualties amongst her lovers (and, observe, they _hanged_
liberally in those days) might have promoted me speedily to the top of
the tree; as, on the other hand, with how much loyalty of submission I
acquiesced by anticipation in her award, supposing that she should
plant me in the very rearward of her favour, as No. 199 + 1. Most truly
I loved this beautiful and ingenuous girl; and, had it not been for the
Bath mail, timing all courtships by post- office allowance, heaven only
knows what might have come of it. People talk of being over head and
ears in love; now, the mail was the cause that I sank only over ears in
love,--which, you know, still left a trifle of brain to overlook the
whole conduct of the affair.

Ah, reader! when I look back upon those days, it seems to me that all
things change--all things perish. "Perish the roses and the palms of
kings": perish even the crowns and trophies of Waterloo: thunder and