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NEW MONTHLY

MAGAZINE

AND

Humorist.

EDITED BY

THEODORE HOOK, ESQ.

1 8 3 7.

PART THE SECOND.

LONDON:

HENRY COLBURN, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,

Stamford-street.

CONTENTS OF THE SECOND PART

ORIGINAL PAPERS.

The Gurney Papers. By the Author of " Sayings and Doings."
Nos. V., VI., VII., and VIII.

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THE

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

THE GURNEY PAPERS.-NO. V.

OUR dinner progressed, as the Americans say, most propitiously. Wells was in much better spirits than I had expected to find him, considering the recent severe frustration of all his well-laid schemes for Fanny's matrimonial promotion. He did not in the slightest degree allude to the circumstance, probably because my own case had not entirely slipped his memory, and because any recapitulation of the history of the Lieutenant's wooing might have recalled to my recollection some scenes of a similar character to those which had been recently acted at the Rectory, but which had not been productive of a similar result.

Mrs. Brandyball, whose whole aim and object appeared to be the making everybody round her pleased with themselves, as the readiest mode of making everybody present pleased with her, began her course of experiments in that way by eulogizing, in the best set terms, the gallant officer now absent, as one of the most interesting of his sex.

66

"I protest," said she, “ that I am not like that particular genus of gallinaceous birds whose tenderest sensibilities are awakened by the appearance of sanguineously-coloured cloth, but I cannot so entirely subdue the natural, and I hope not altogether reprehensible sentiment of gratitude which must unquestionably animate every female heart towards our gallant protectors in the time of peril."

"Ah," said Cuthbert, "your's is a very amiable weakness in that respect. What soldiers have to endure,-ah, those marchings and countermarchings, eh?"

"But," continued Mrs. Brandyball, determined to win the Rector entirely," I never met with an individual so entirely exempt from pretension or affectation as Lieutenant Merman. He appears to me to be unexceptionable."

"Well," said the Reverend Divine," there must be tastes of all sorts; for my part, I think him as empty a coxcomb as ever stepped—” Mrs. Brandyball stared with astonishment.

“And I,” said I, "think him odious."

Her eyes opened still wider.

"Ah," said Cuthbert, "do you know I have never taken the trouble to think whether I like him or not."

The manner in which our fair visiter was mystified was exceedingly amusing to us it was evident, not only that she felt wonderfully disappointed by the manner in which her eulogiums upon the Lieutenant had been received, but that she set us down as two of the most hardened hypocrites that ever existed. What else could she think? she had seen May.-VOL. L. NO. CXCVII.

B

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