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Article THE MYSTERIOUS MR. B. ← Page 2 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
alluding to , who I found was a retired tradesman , possessing a small fortune , and with whom I remained until the ensuing year , receiving every mark of kindness and assistance that heart could desire . My education was attended to through the counsel of the master of the principal school at Plymouth . In March 1790 Mr . James stated that he would take me up to London , where I should be put apprentice to a Mr . C , the celebrated writing engraver , to whom he had written , and who for a due considerationwhich Mr . James willingly agreed to
, pay , had consented to take me . I , as a matter of course , acquiesced in the arrangements , and felt grateful to my "kind protector for his benevolence . Our journey was soon made , and I was introduced to my intended master and his family immediately on our arrival in London . My apprenticeship took place during the following week , and I was received as an inmate into the residence of Mr . C , Red Lion-street , Clerkenwell . Previous to my kind friend's departure , he , in a long
conversation which we had , seriously begged me to he attentive to my then present prospects , as it was more than probable that my future welfare mainly depended on myself : —his own age was far advanced ; he had many poor relatives of his own , and concluded by stating that I must not expect to receive any further assistance at his hands . I will not trespass on your attention in endeavouring to express my feelings towards him ; suffice it to say , that I gratefully loved him at that
moment , and have ever since borne him in my memory . I lost this kind friend during the following six months . The family I was now associated with consisted of Mr . C , his wife , and only daughter Amelia . I was soon domiciled in their dwelling and habits , and met with every due encouragement in my
endeavours to make myself proficient in my trade . At the end of five years I was considered a good workman , and my master was always pleased to mark my conduct by his expressed approbation . During this course of time I had become attached to my young mistress Amelia ; and the attachment between us was not only mutual , but was perceived and fairly encouraged by her parents . The only drawback upon our happiness arose from the extreme delicate state of her health
which had been decided by their medical attendant as bordering upon consumption . I perhaps should inform you that the business done by my master was of rather an extensive kind : he was supposed to be doing well in the world , and to be a man of fortune , but having unfortunately connected himself with a trading firm in Paternoster-row , which broke in the year 1791 , he was under the necessity of counteracting his liberal habits , and paying a stricter attention to the business
than he had done for some time before that painful event . In the beginning of 1795 he informed his family that he was about being honoured with the confidence of the government of the country , in executing certain confidential forms , which required the greatest privacy ,
and in order to carry this into effect , one of the rooms m his dwelling was appropriated more particularly for that purpose . A copperplate printing-press was erected therein , and one man was expressly engaged to do the work at a liberal salary . The greatest caution was made use of , and many were the confidential visits paid to my master , by one gentleman in particular , who appeared to be above the common ranks of society , and who invariably came in his carriage at a late period of the evening . They were generally closeted together for about an hour ;
and what the nature of their communication was , or what it was about , I never was able to fathom , although it was evident it was of a business
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
alluding to , who I found was a retired tradesman , possessing a small fortune , and with whom I remained until the ensuing year , receiving every mark of kindness and assistance that heart could desire . My education was attended to through the counsel of the master of the principal school at Plymouth . In March 1790 Mr . James stated that he would take me up to London , where I should be put apprentice to a Mr . C , the celebrated writing engraver , to whom he had written , and who for a due considerationwhich Mr . James willingly agreed to
, pay , had consented to take me . I , as a matter of course , acquiesced in the arrangements , and felt grateful to my "kind protector for his benevolence . Our journey was soon made , and I was introduced to my intended master and his family immediately on our arrival in London . My apprenticeship took place during the following week , and I was received as an inmate into the residence of Mr . C , Red Lion-street , Clerkenwell . Previous to my kind friend's departure , he , in a long
conversation which we had , seriously begged me to he attentive to my then present prospects , as it was more than probable that my future welfare mainly depended on myself : —his own age was far advanced ; he had many poor relatives of his own , and concluded by stating that I must not expect to receive any further assistance at his hands . I will not trespass on your attention in endeavouring to express my feelings towards him ; suffice it to say , that I gratefully loved him at that
moment , and have ever since borne him in my memory . I lost this kind friend during the following six months . The family I was now associated with consisted of Mr . C , his wife , and only daughter Amelia . I was soon domiciled in their dwelling and habits , and met with every due encouragement in my
endeavours to make myself proficient in my trade . At the end of five years I was considered a good workman , and my master was always pleased to mark my conduct by his expressed approbation . During this course of time I had become attached to my young mistress Amelia ; and the attachment between us was not only mutual , but was perceived and fairly encouraged by her parents . The only drawback upon our happiness arose from the extreme delicate state of her health
which had been decided by their medical attendant as bordering upon consumption . I perhaps should inform you that the business done by my master was of rather an extensive kind : he was supposed to be doing well in the world , and to be a man of fortune , but having unfortunately connected himself with a trading firm in Paternoster-row , which broke in the year 1791 , he was under the necessity of counteracting his liberal habits , and paying a stricter attention to the business
than he had done for some time before that painful event . In the beginning of 1795 he informed his family that he was about being honoured with the confidence of the government of the country , in executing certain confidential forms , which required the greatest privacy ,
and in order to carry this into effect , one of the rooms m his dwelling was appropriated more particularly for that purpose . A copperplate printing-press was erected therein , and one man was expressly engaged to do the work at a liberal salary . The greatest caution was made use of , and many were the confidential visits paid to my master , by one gentleman in particular , who appeared to be above the common ranks of society , and who invariably came in his carriage at a late period of the evening . They were generally closeted together for about an hour ;
and what the nature of their communication was , or what it was about , I never was able to fathom , although it was evident it was of a business