face to conduct himself like a gentleman, and not to kill more natives than he could help.

Peregrine Pultuney then took his passage in a ship, having procured, like a sensible man, permission to proceed to Bengal, after which he began to bethink himself about getting some letters of introduction, or, in other words, tickets for soup.

Letters of introduction to people in India, written by their friends and relatives at home, are nine times out of ten very useless incumbrances, inasmuch as that people in England think of India as they do of the Isle of Wight, Grosvenor-square, or Stoke Pogis. This, Peregrine Pultuney soon found out, for on looking over his letters of introduction, he found that one half of them were for Bombay and Madras, besides a small quantity for China. However, our hero with his usual philosophy, cried "God bless the giver," and was not ungracious. enough to look the gift horse in the mouth.

Amongst other people, whom, at the instance of his father, Peregrine called on for letters of introduction, was an old Bengal civilian, a sort of third or fourth cousin of Mr. Pultuney, who had a suite of apartments in Regent-street, no family, and a diseased liver. Peregrine had never seen this old gentleman, but having heard somehow or other that he was an oddity, he felt a particular desire to visit him and to ascertain the true nature of that interesting portion of the animal kingdom, which goes by the name of Quihi.

It was a cold day in February, when Peregrine Pultuney, wrapt up in a Petersham of the stoutest quality, walked up the staircase which led to Mr. Havethelacks' suite of apartments, his card having gone up before him—a bran new card by the way, with Bengal Artillery upon it "rather neat," as Peregrine thought, in common with most young gentlemen who have just got into that very fine corps, where promotion "comes slowly up this way," like spring in Mr. Coleridge's Christabel; and where officers are rewarded for their exertions at Addiscombe, by the privilege of wearing blue coats and calling themselves, a "scientific" corps.

Mr. Havethelacks was sitting close to the fire, on an easy chair with spring cushions, turning over the Register sheet of a new Asiatic Journal. "Ah!" he muttered," Stokes dead-thought so-Stokes an imprudent fellow-drinks water-thought he would die-hum! Wilkins, my assistant in Bundlecund, married!-a wise man-wish I had married when I was an assistant-hum! Miss Martingale-old Martingale's daughter-Martingale my contemporary-fine woman Mrs. Martingale-lots of children -wish I had too-hum! Mrs. Darlington, twins!God bless me!-remember her when she was a butcha -burnt her fingers against my chillum-hum! Potts in council-thought so-Potts a clever fellow -might have been in council myself Mrs. Potts a burra beebee-bless my soul, think of that-used to flirt with her, when I was in College-almost

proposing-wish I had-man's a fool not to marry in India-old friends die off-new family spring up -happy," and the old gentleman, as a sort of outlet to his feelings, began poking the fire.

At this juncture Peregrine's card was put into his hand-" Pultuney-ah! show, him up- Bengal Artillery'-bless my soul! did not know there was a Pultuney in India-Artillery-Dum Dum,-Mess dinner-burra Khana to Lord Hastings-I remember-fine regiment! noise enough to stun one," and the old gentleman's recollections went back some five-and-twenty years at least.

Peregrine advanced towards the place where the old gentleman was sitting, Mr. Havethelacks did not rise, but he turned slightly round and beckoned to our hero to approach. Peregrine nothing loth to seek the near vicinity of the fire, walked briskly up and surveyed the Quihi.

"I took the liberty," said Peregrine Pultuney, "of calling to pay you a visit"

"Glad to see you," interrupted the old gentleman -"very glad! sit down! come from India-eh? Any news? What ship? Country agrees with you -look very well-never saw such a colour in my life." Peregrine explained that the old gentleman was under a mistake, and proceeded to acquaint him with the object of his visit.

"Ah!" said Mr.Havethelacks, "going to India! very good! fine country. Take my advice, young man, and don't come home in a hurry-sure to

repent if you do. Look at me-quite wretchedpoor, old, solitary man."

Peregrine ventured to suggest that he looked exceedingly comfortable.

"Comfortable-ah! comfort,-no comfort in England-drafts-cold-want air, and can't get it without freezing-don't come home, young manrooms small-shut up in a box, take-my advice, young man-marry and get children."

"I have no objection," observed Peregrine Pultuney.

Objection! look at me. Didn't marry-always had house full-couldn't live alone in the least always had party to dinner-can't eat alone -got on board ship-did very well-cuddy table -large party always-landed in England-came here took good apartments-four hundred a month."

"Four hundred pounds a month!" exclaimed Peregrine Pultuney, thinking that the old gentleman had been prodigiously cheated.

"Pounds!-No, rupees,-forgot you were a griffin -forgot again-don't know what a griffin is?"

Yes, sir," returned Peregrine Pultuney, "I've got one for my crest, but I don't know how I resemble one."

The old gentleman laughed immoderately for a few minutes, and then began, in his usual broken style, "Good! knew you were a griff.-regular— ha! ha! Well, boy, I was going to tell you—where

was I-took lodgings-dinner, first day, excellentlooking forward to it for months-salmon fresh out of the river-not out of a tin canister-English beef-fruit excellent-was choked at the third mouthful."

"Indeed, sir!" interrupted Peregrine; "and, pray, how was that?"

"Couldn't tell for my life; breakfast next morning-fresh butter-French bread-ham-Perigord pie-every thing human creature could desirecouldn't eat a mouthful; tiffin the same; dinner again, another failure; breakfast next morning ditto-wondered-thought-at last made up my mind, and rang the bell for my landlady."

"For your landlady!" exclaimed Peregrine Pultuney. "I should have thought you would have sent for your physician."

"Not at all, young man; sent for my landlady -fine buxom dame of fifty-asked if she had got any family-landlady blushed-answered 'Yes,

sir.'

66

Very good, ma'am," said I.

66

Peregrine wondered what was coming, and tried hard to control his risible propensities, as the old gentleman continued, Well, ma'am," said I to landlady, "may I ask what your family consists of."

"Twelve in all, please sir," said she, “three sons grown up in business, four daughters at home, and five young children in the nursery."