It would afford us the highest gratification to be enabled to record Mr. Pickwick’s opinion of the foregoing anecdote. We have little doubt that we should have been enabled to present it to our readers, but for a most unfortunate occurrence.

Mr. Pickwick had replaced on the table the glass which, during the last few sentences of the tale, he had retained in his hand; and had just made up his mind to speak⁠—indeed, we have the authority of Mr. Snodgrass’s notebook for stating, that he had actually opened his mouth⁠—when the waiter entered the room, and said⁠—

“Some gentlemen, Sir.”