Pisistratus (lowering the glass).—“To St. James’s Square?”
Peacock.—“No, no; to London Bridge.
“‘How use doth breed a habit in a man!’
“I will go on,—honor bright. So I met Mr. Vivian, and as he had known me in better days, and has a good heart of his own, he says,—
“‘Horatio,—or I do forget myself.”’
Pisistratus puts his hand on the check-string.
Peacock (correcting himself).—I mean—“Why, Johnson, my good fellow.”’
Pisistratus.—“Johnson! Oh, that’s your name,—not Peacock.”
Peacock.—“Johnson and Peacock both [with dignity]. When you know the world as I do, sir, you will find that it is ill travelling this ‘naughty world’ without a change of names in your portmanteau.
“‘Johnson,’ says he, ‘my good fellow,’ and he pulled out his purse. ‘Sir,’ said I, ‘if, “exempt from public haunt,” I could get something to do when this dross is gone. In London there are sermons in stones, certainly, but not “good in everything,”—an observation I should take the liberty of making to the Swan if he were not now, alas! “the baseless fabric of a vision."’”