KEY TO THE ‘PICKWICK’ EXAMINATION PAPER.
1. See Chapters IV., VIII., XXVIII., LIV.
(1), IV., XXX. (twice), XXXIX.
(2), LVI.
2. Two of Jingle’s speeches are here quoted, the first being in Chapter III., and the second in Chapter II. For “Spanish traveller” see Chapter III., and for “narcotic bedstead” see Chapter XLI. “Go on, Jemmy,” is Mr. Jingle’s adjuration to the actor whom he has previously designated “Dismal Jemmy,” urging the commencement of the ‘Stroller’s Tale.’ “Like black-eyed Susan—all in the Downs” has the double application to the stroller’s melancholy and the first line of Gay’s song of ‘Black-eyed Susan’—“All in the Downs the fleet was moored.” “Handled his fives well” of course refers to the “sparring” of the cabman who wanted to fight Mr. Pickwick. “Friend in the green jemmy” refers to Mr. Winkle, who, we are told in Chapter I., “wore a new green shooting-coat,” &c. “Pig’s whisper” is slang for a very brief space of time. Bartlett says the Americans have “pig’s whistle” the same signification.
3. See Chapters VII., XVIII., XIX., XXII., XXXIV., XXXVII., XXXVI., XLIV.
4. See two several parts of ‘The Bagman’s Story’ in Chapter XIV.
5. See Chapters XXIV., XXV., XLVI., VIII,, XLI.
6. See Chapter XX.
7. See Chapter XXIV.
8. See Chapters XXV., LVI., XXXIII.
9. See Chapter XXXIII.
10. See Chapters XXXIII. and XXXI.
11. See the end of Chapter XIX.
12. Illustrations will be found severally in Chapters XXXIII., XXXV., XLVII.
13. See Chapters XXX. and XXXII.
14. See two separate passages in Chapter XXXVIII.
15. See Chapters XXXIX. and XLIII.
16. See Chapter XLII.
17. See Chapters XLIII., XLV., LV.
18. See Chapters VI. and XXVIII.
19. See Chapter XLIII. “You’ve been a prophesyin’ away very fine like a red-faced Nixon as the sixpenny books gives picters on.” The allusion is to Robert Nixon, the Cheshire prophet. See Notes and Queries, first series, vol. viii., pp. 257 and 326; and fourth series, vol. xi., pp. 171 and 265. Nixon’s prophecies have been frequently published in the form of chapbooks, and were probably current at the time with a highly-coloured portrait.
20. The first requisition may be complied with by reference to Chapter XLIII. The following is answered in Chapter X.
21. See Chapters XLV. and LII.
22. See Chapters L. and XLVII.
23. See Chapters XXXIII. and XLV.
24. The first two questions are answered in Chapters LII. and LV. The next is answered at the end of Chapter XXXIII.; where also is the information lastly required.
25. The illustration required is in Chapter LV.
26. See Chapters XXXVIII. and XXXIII. “Fanteeg, a worry or bustle. Also, ill-humour.—Various Dialects.”—Halliwell. “Prooshan blue” probably refers to the colour of dress-coats. “Which gentleman of your party wears a bright blue dress-coat?” enquires The Boots, in ‘Pickwick,’ Chapter II. Thus Sam Weller’s “Prooshan Blue” is a finely-dressed fellow of the Pickwick-Weller period.
27. See Chapter XXIV.
28. See the opening of Chapter XXII.
29. See Chapter II.
30. See Chapter XX.