foundthewritersgenerallyunderadistressingsensethattheymuststartatalleventslikestory-tellers，anddeludetheyoungpersonsintothebeliefthattheyweregoingtobeinteresting。AsIlookedinatthiswindowfortwentyminutesbytheclock，Iaminapositiontoofferafriendlyremonstrance-notbearingonthisparticularpoint-tothedesignersandengraversofthepicturesinthosepublications。HavetheyconsideredtheawfulconsequenceslikelytoflowfromtheirrepresentationsofVirtue？Havetheyaskedthemselvesthequestion，whethertheterrificprospectofacquiringthatfearfulchubbinessofhead，unwieldinessofarm，feebledislocationofleg，crispinessofhair，andenormityofshirt-collar，whichtheyrepresentasinseparablefromGoodness，maynottendtoconfirmsensitivewaverers，inEvil？AmostimpressiveexampleifIhadbelieveditofwhataDustmanandaSailormaycometo，whentheymendtheirways，waspresentedtomeinthissameshop-window。Whentheywereleaningtheywereintimatefriendsagainstapost，drunkandreckless，withsurpassinglybadhatson，andtheirhairovertheirforeheads，theywereratherpicturesque，andlookedasiftheymightbeagreeablemen，iftheywouldnotbebeasts。But，whentheyhadgotovertheirbadpropensities，andwhen，asaconsequence，theirheadshadswelledalarmingly，theirhairhadgotsocurlythatitliftedtheirblown-outcheeksup，theircoat-cuffsweresolongthattheynevercoulddoanywork，andtheireyesweresowideopenthattheynevercoulddoanysleep，theypresentedaspectaclecalculatedtoplungeatimidnatureintothedepthsofInfamy。
But，theclockthathadsodegeneratedsinceIsawitlast，admonishedmethatIhadstayedherelongenough；andIresumedmywalk。
IhadnotgonefiftypacesalongthestreetwhenIwassuddenlybroughtupbythesightofamanwhogotoutofalittlephaetonatthedoctor’sdoor，andwentintothedoctor’shouse。Immediately，theairwasfilledwiththescentoftroddengrass，andtheperspectiveofyearsopened，andattheendofitwasalittlelikenessofthismankeepingawicket，andIsaid，’Godblessmysoul！JoeSpecks！’
Throughmanychangesandmuchwork，IhadpreservedatendernessforthememoryofJoe，forasmuchaswehadmadetheacquaintanceofRoderickRandomtogether，andhadbelievedhimtobenoruffian，butaningenuousandengaginghero。ScorningtoasktheboyleftinthephaetonwhetheritwasreallyJoe，andscorningeventoreadthebrassplateonthedoor-sosurewasI-IrangthebellandinformedtheservantmaidthatastrangersoughtaudienceofMr。
Specks。Intoaroom，halfsurgery，halfstudy，Iwasshowntoawaithiscoming，andIfoundit，byaseriesofelaborateaccidents，bestrewnwithtestimoniestoJoe。PortraitofMr。
Specks，bustofMr。Specks，silvercupfromgratefulpatienttoMr。
Specks，presentationsermonfromlocalclergyman，dedicationpoemfromlocalpoet，dinner-cardfromlocalnobleman，tractonbalanceofpowerfromlocalrefugee，inscribedHOMMAGEDEL’AUTEURE
Whenmyoldschoolfellowcamein，andIinformedhimwithasmilethatIwasnotapatient，heseemedratheratalosstoperceiveanyreasonforsmilinginconnexionwiththatfact，andinquiredtowhatwashetoattributethehonour？Iaskedhimwithanothersmile，couldheremembermeatall？Hehadnothesaidthatpleasure。IwasbeginningtohavebutapooropinionofMr。
Specks，whenhesaidreflectively，’Andyetthere’sasomethingtoo。’Uponthat，Isawaboyishlightinhiseyesthatlookedwell，andIaskedhimifhecouldinformme，asastrangerwhodesiredtoknowandhadnotthemeansofreferenceathand，whatthenameoftheyoungladywas，whomarriedMr。Random？Uponthat，hesaid’Narcissa，’and，afterstaringforamoment，calledmebymyname，shookmebythehand，andmeltedintoaroaroflaughter。
’Why，ofcourse，you’llrememberLucyGreen，’hesaid，afterwehadtalkedalittle。’Ofcourse，’saidI。’Whomdoyouthinkshemarried？’saidhe。’You？’Ihazarded。’Me，’saidSpecks，’andyoushallseeher。’SoIsawher，andshewasfat，andifallthehayintheworldhadbeenheapeduponher，itcouldscarcelyhavealteredherfacemorethanTimehadaltereditfrommyremembranceofthefacethathadoncelookeddownuponmeintothefragrantdungeonsofSeringapatam。ButwhenheryoungestchildcameinafterdinnerforIdinedwiththem，andwehadnoothercompanythanSpecks，Junior，Barrister-at-law，whowentawayassoonastheclothwasremoved，tolookaftertheyoungladytowhomhewasgoingtobemarriednextweek，Isawagain，inthatlittledaughter，thelittlefaceofthehayfield，unchanged，anditquitetouchedmyfoolishheart。Wetalkedimmensely，SpecksandMrs。
Specks，andI，andwespokeofouroldselvesasthoughouroldselvesweredeadandgone，andindeed，indeedtheywere-deadandgoneastheplaying-fieldthathadbecomeawildernessofrustyiron，andthepropertyofS。E。R。
Specks，however，illuminatedDullboroughwiththeraysofinterestthatIwantedandshouldotherwisehavemissedinit，andlinkeditspresenttoitspast，withahighlyagreeablechain。AndinSpecks’ssocietyIhadnewoccasiontoobservewhatIhadbeforenoticedinsimilarcommunicationsamongothermen。Alltheschoolfellowsandothersofold，whomIinquiredabout，hadeitherdonesuperlativelywellorsuperlativelyill-hadeitherbecomeuncertificatedbankrupts，orbeenfeloniousandgotthemselvestransported；orhadmadegreathitsinlife，anddonewonders。Andthisissocommonlythecase，thatInevercanimaginewhatbecomesofallthemediocrepeopleofpeople’syouth-especiallyconsideringthatwefindnolackofthespeciesinourmaturity。
But，IdidnotpropoundthisdifficultytoSpecks，fornopauseintheconversationgavemeanoccasion。Nor，couldIdiscoveronesingleflawinthegooddoctor-whenhereadsthis，hewillreceiveinafriendlyspiritthepleasantlymeantrecord-exceptthathehadforgottenhisRoderickRandom，andthatheconfoundedStrapwithLieutenantHatchway；whoneverknewRandom，howsoeverintimatewithPickle。
WhenIwentalonetotheRailwaytocatchmytrainatnightSpeckshadmeanttogowithme，butwasinopportunelycalledout，IwasinamorecharitablemoodwithDullboroughthanIhadbeenallday；
andyetinmyheartIhadloveditalldaytoo。Ah！whowasIthatIshouldquarrelwiththetownforbeingchangedtome，whenI
myselfhadcomeback，sochanged，toit！Allmyearlyreadingsandearlyimaginationsdatedfromthisplace，andItookthemawaysofullofinnocentconstructionandguilelessbelief，andIbroughtthembacksowornandtorn，somuchthewiserandsomuchtheworse！
Someyearsago，atemporaryinabilitytosleep，referabletoadistressingimpression，causedmetowalkaboutthestreetsallnight，foraseriesofseveralnights。Thedisordermighthavetakenalongtimetoconquer，ifithadbeenfaintlyexperimentedoninbed；but，itwassoondefeatedbythebrisktreatmentofgettingupdirectlyafterlyingdown，andgoingout，andcominghometiredatsunrise。
Inthecourseofthosenights，Ifinishedmyeducationinafairamateurexperienceofhouselessness。Myprincipalobjectbeingtogetthroughthenight，thepursuitofitbroughtmeintosympatheticrelationswithpeoplewhohavenootherobjecteverynightintheyear。
ThemonthwasMarch，andtheweatherdamp，cloudy，andcold。Thesunnotrisingbeforehalf-pastfive，thenightperspectivelookedsufficientlylongathalf-pasttwelve:whichwasaboutmytimeforconfrontingit。
Therestlessnessofagreatcity，andthewayinwhichittumblesandtossesbeforeitcangettosleep，formedoneofthefirstentertainmentsofferedtothecontemplationofushouselesspeople。
Itlastedabouttwohours。Welostagreatdealofcompanionshipwhenthelatepublic-housesturnedtheirlampsout，andwhenthepotmenthrustthelastbrawlingdrunkardsintothestreet；butstrayvehiclesandstraypeoplewereleftus，afterthat。Ifwewereverylucky，apoliceman’srattlesprangandafrayturnedup；
but，ingeneral，surprisinglylittleofthisdiversionwasprovided。ExceptintheHaymarket，whichistheworstkeptpartofLondon，andaboutKent-streetintheBorough，andalongaportionofthelineoftheOldKent-road，thepeacewasseldomviolentlybroken。But，itwasalwaysthecasethatLondon，asifinimitationofindividualcitizensbelongingtoit，hadexpiringfitsandstartsofrestlessness。Afterallseemedquiet，ifonecabrattledby，half-a-dozenwouldsurelyfollow；andHouselessnessevenobservedthatintoxicatedpeopleappearedtobemagneticallyattractedtowardseachother；sothatweknewwhenwesawonedrunkenobjectstaggeringagainsttheshuttersofashop，thatanotherdrunkenobjectwouldstaggerupbeforefiveminuteswereout，tofraterniseorfightwithit。Whenwemadeadivergencefromtheregularspeciesofdrunkard，thethin-armed，puff-faced，leaden-lippedgin-drinker，andencounteredararerspecimenofamoredecentappearance，fiftytoonebutthatspecimenwasdressedinsoiledmourning。Asthestreetexperienceinthenight，sothestreetexperienceintheday；thecommonfolkwhocomeunexpectedlyintoalittleproperty，comeunexpectedlyintoadealofliquor。
Atlengththeseflickeringsparkswoulddieaway，wornout-thelastveritablesparksofwakinglifetrailedfromsomelatepiemanorhot-potatoman-andLondonwouldsinktorest。Andthentheyearningofthehouselessmindwouldbeforanysignofcompany，anylightedplace，anymovement，anythingsuggestiveofanyonebeingup-nay，evensomuchasawake，forthehouselesseyelookedoutforlightsinwindows。
Walkingthestreetsunderthepatteringrain，Houselessnesswouldwalkandwalkandwalk，seeingnothingbuttheinterminabletangleofstreets，saveatacorner，hereandthere，twopolicemeninconversation，orthesergeantorinspectorlookingafterhismen。
Nowandtheninthenight-butrarely-Houselessnesswouldbecomeawareofafurtiveheadpeeringoutofadoorwayafewyardsbeforehim，and，comingupwiththehead，wouldfindamanstandingboltuprighttokeepwithinthedoorway’sshadow，andevidentlyintentuponnoparticularservicetosociety。Underakindoffascination，andinaghostlysilencesuitabletothetime，Houselessnessandthisgentlemanwouldeyeoneanotherfromheadtofoot，andso，withoutexchangeofspeech，part，mutuallysuspicious。Drip，drip，drip，fromledgeandcoping，splashfrompipesandwater-spouts，andby-and-bythehouselessshadowwouldfalluponthestonesthatpavethewaytoWaterloo-bridge；itbeinginthehouselessmindtohaveahalfpennyworthofexcuseforsaying’Good-night’tothetoll-keeper，andcatchingaglimpseofhisfire。Agoodfireandagoodgreat-coatandagoodwoollenneck-shawl，werecomfortablethingstoseeinconjunctionwiththetoll-keeper；alsohisbriskwakefulnesswasexcellentcompanywhenherattledthechangeofhalfpencedownuponthatmetaltableofhis，likeamanwhodefiedthenight，withallitssorrowfulthoughts，anddidn’tcareforthecomingofdawn。Therewasneedofencouragementonthethresholdofthebridge，forthebridgewasdreary。Thechopped-upmurderedman，hadnotbeenloweredwitharopeovertheparapetwhenthosenightswere；hewasalive，andsleptthenquietlyenoughmostlikely，andundisturbedbyanydreamofwherehewastocome。Buttheriverhadanawfullook，thebuildingsonthebanksweremuffledinblackshrouds，andthereflectedlightsseemedtooriginatedeepinthewater，asifthespectresofsuicideswereholdingthemtoshowwheretheywentdown。Thewildmoonandcloudswereasrestlessasanevilconscienceinatumbledbed，andtheveryshadowoftheimmensityofLondonseemedtolieoppressivelyupontheriver。