The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

54. REYNOLDS’ WORKS to-night. I'll be bound to say he’s some queer-looking old fellow, for an eccentric person, as your uncle the marquis is reported to be, must need have eccentric acquaintances. I can picture to myself an elderly gentleman, either bald or else with an antiquated wig, brown, most likely — ” At this mcment the door of the box was again opened, and Mr. Gunthorpe was introduced. Now, be it well under- stood that the veriest fool in the universe, when indulging in random prophecies and conjectures, must once in a way find his speculation borne out by facts, and so it was in the present instance. For of all comical figures, it would be difficult to conceive one more calculated to excite the ridicule of brainless or thoughtless young men than Mr. Gunthorpe. His age seemed to border upon sixty; he was short, stout, and wore one of the most remarkable brown scratch wigs that ever were seen. He had a red face, and a large double chin overhanging his white cravat. His apparel was equally old-fashioned so far as the cut of the garments was concerned, though he appeared in a full evening suit of black, with white waistcoat; but the square tails of the coat, having pockets with overhanging flaps, the waistcoat reaching far down upon his stomach, the knee-breeches and the black silk stockings, all rendered the costume singular enough. There was an admixture of sharpness and good nature in his countenance, but a physiognomist would have noticed that the former expression could rise into sternness, while the latter could expand into the widest benevolence. On making his appearance he bowed with an offhand sort of politeness, and threw a rapid but searching glance over the assembled group, his eyes, however, dwelling longer on Harold and Florina than on the rest. Lord Saxondale turned around to conceal his laughter, muttering almost audibly as he did so, ‘* What a figure of fun for the opera! ”’ Lord Harold merely bowed with a well-bred courtesy, but Lady Florina, rising from her chair, advanced a step or two, and said, with a most affable sweetness, “‘ Will you not sit down, Mr. Gunthorpe? ” “No, I thank your ladyship,” he answered, “ I am off again ina moment. The fact is, I have been in Italy some time, and having had the honour of the Marquis of Hagle- dean’s acquaintance, I may say friendship, he gave me letters of introduction to his relatives in England; and (E(0) CONNIE NOOO KS