It is not necessary, I suppose, in writing these reminiscences, to
describe all I saw--at least I hope not. Manners have so changed since
that time that people who have no imagination would not believe me,
and those who have would imagine I was exaggerating. So I must skip
this portion of my youthful studies, merely saying that I saw nearly,
if not _quite_, all the life which was to be seen in London; and I am
sure I am not exaggerating when I say that that would nearly fill an
octavo volume of itself. There is so much to be seen in London, as a
dear old lady I used to drink tea with once told me.

But she did not know more than I, for she had never seen the
night-houses, gambling hells, and other places of amusement that at
that time were open all night long, nor had she seen the ghastly faces
of the morning. I attribute my escaping the consequences of all these
allurements to the beautiful influence which my mother in early life
exercised over me, as I attribute my knowledge of them to the removal
of the restraint with which my earlier years had been curbed.

My mother died before I came to London, but undoubtedly her influence
was with me, although I broke loose, as a matter of course, from all
paternal control.

But I was never a "man about town." To be that you must have plenty of
money or none at all, and in either case you are an object to avoid.
I had, nevertheless, a great many pleasures that a young man from the
country can enjoy. I loved horse-racing, cricket, and the prize-ring.
It was not because pugilism was a fashionable amusement in those days
that I attended a "set-to" occasionally; I went on my own account,
not to ape people in the fashionable world, and enjoyed it on my own
account, not because they liked it, but because I did.