 particularly sweeping swing, that they
constantly practised when their master was in motion. His face was long, of a
fair complexion, burnt to a fiery red; with a snub nose, cocked into an
inveterate pug; a mouth of enormous dimensions, filled with fine teeth; and a
pair of blue eyes, that seemed to look about them, on surrounding objects, with
habitual contempt. His head composed full one fourth of his whole length, and
the queue that depended from its rear occupied another. He wore a coat of very
light drab cloth, with buttons as large as dollars, bearing the impression of a
foul anchor. The skirts were extremely long, reaching quite to the calf, and
were broad in proportion. Beneath, there were a vest and breeches of red plush,
somewhat worn and soiled. He had shoes with large buckles, and stockings of blue
and white stripes.
    This odd-looking figure reported himself to be a native of the county of
Cornwall, in the island of Great Britain. His boyhood had passed in the
neighbourhood of the tin mines, and his youth, as the cabin-boy of a smuggler,
between Falmouth and Guernsey. From this trade he had been impressed into the
service of his king, and, for the want of a better, had been taken into the
cabin, first as a servant, and finally as steward to the captain. Here he
acquired the art of making chowder, lobskous, and one or two other sea-dishes,
and, as he was fond of saying, had an opportunity of seeing the world. With the
exception of one or two out-ports in France, and an occasional visit to
Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Deal, he had in reality seen no more of mankind,
however, than if he had been riding a donkey in one of his native mines. But,
being discharged from the navy at the peace of '83, he declared, that, as he had
seen all the civilized parts of the earth, he was inclined to make a trip to the
wilds of America. We will not trace him in his brief wanderings, under the
influence of that spirit of emigration, that sometimes induces a dapper Cockney
to quit his home, and lands him, before the sound of Bow-bells is out of his
ears, within the roar of the cataract of Niagara, but shall only add, that, at a
very early day, even before Elizabeth had been sent to school, he had found his
way into the family of Marmaduke Temple, where, owing to a combination of
qualities
