old English customs, by which they would stand or fall.
After illustrating the wisdom of going backward, by reference to that sagacious
fish, the crab, and the not unfrequent practice of the mule and donkey, he
described their general objects; which were briefly vengeance on their Tyrant
Masters (of whose grievous and insupportable oppression no 'prentice could
entertain a moment's doubt) and the restoration, as aforesaid, of their ancient
rights and holidays; for neither of which objects were they now quite ripe,
being barely twenty strong, but which they pledged themselves to pursue with
fire and sword when needful. Then he described the oath which every member of
that small remnant of a noble body took, and which was of a dreadful and
impressive kind; binding him, at the bidding of his chief, to resist and
obstruct the Lord Mayor, sword-bearer, and chaplain; to despise the authority of
the sheriffs; and to hold the court of aldermen as nought; but not on any
account, in case the fulness of time should bring a general rising of
'prentices, to damage or in any way disfigure Temple Bar, which was strictly
constitutional and always to be approached with reverence. Having gone over
these several heads with great eloquence and force, and having further informed
the novice that this society had its origin in his own teeming brain, stimulated
by a swelling sense of wrong and outrage, Mr. Tappertit demanded whether he had
strength of heart to take the mighty pledge required, or whether he would
withdraw while retreat was yet in his power.
    To this the novice made rejoinder, that he would take the vow, though it
should choke him; and it was accordingly administered with many impressive
circumstances, among which the lighting up of the two skulls with a candle-end
inside of each, and a great many flourishes with the bone, were chiefly
conspicuous; not to mention a variety of grave exercises with the blunderbuss
and sabre, and some dismal groaning by unseen 'prentices without. All these dark
and direful ceremonies being at length completed, the table was put aside, the
chair of state removed, the sceptre locked up in its usual cupboard, the doors
of communication between the three cellars thrown freely open, and the 'Prentice
Knights resigned themselves to merriment.
    But Mr. Tappertit, who had a soul above the vulgar herd, and who, on account
of his greatness, could only afford to be merry now and then, threw himself on a
bench with the air of a man who was faint with dignity. He looked with an
indifferent eye, alike on skittles