iously entered by the pole of the heavy van; and, by these several means, the Hansom was brought to a standstill, and its horse to a downfall. It was fortunate for Mr. Percival Wylde, that he was aware of the collision, and instinctively sprang from his seat; for, by this action, he avoided the blow on the head or poke in the face, that the van-pole would undoubtedly have given him; in which case, his adventures would, probably, have been brought to an unexpected termination, or would, at any rate, have been deprived of the chance of being faithfully illustrated with a handsome frontispiece.
"The more haste, the worst speed!" thought Percie, as he gave the Cabby five shillings and his card, and left that gentleman busily engaged in endeavouring to raise his fallen steed from the ground, and in heaping on the van-driver's head denunciations composed of
Filthy Conjunctions, and dissolute Nouns
And Particles pick'd from the kennels of towns,
With Irregular Verbs for irregular jobs,
Chiefly Active in rows and mobs,
Picking Possessive Pronouns' fobs;
And Interjections as bad as a blight,
Or an Eastern blast, to the blood and the sight.[1]
"'The more haste, the worst speed.' What says the proverb?' The hasty man eats soup with a fork!' When a man is in a hurry, he 's sure to be delayed. There 's not another cab in sight; so it 's fortunate that I 'm not bothered with luggage, and that I 'm not far from the Station. Three minutes will do it! Fanny did not occupy more than ten minutes, and I shall be in good time to beat the Old Boy. I know his habits
- ↑ Hood's "Tale of a Trumpet."
