(_For the Mirror._)
My master, at first sight of me, expressed great admiration. He had
given his architect of garments orders to make him a blue coat in his
best style; in consequence of which I was ushered into the world. The
gentleman who introduced me into company was at the time in very high
spirits, being engaged in a new literary undertaking, of the success of
which he indulged very sanguine hopes. On this occasion we, that is, to
use similar language to Cardinal Wolsey, in a well-known instance, I and
my master paid a great number of visits to his particular friends, and
others whom he thought likely to encourage and promote his project The
reception _we_ generally met with was highly satisfactory; smiles and
promises of support were bestowed in abundance upon _us_. I use the
plural number, with justice, as it will appear in the sequel, although
my master scarcely ever dreamt that I had anything to do with it. As I
had, however, the special privilege of being _behind his back_, I had
the advantage which that situation peculiarly confers, of arriving at a
knowledge of the truth. He never dreamt that the expressions, "How well
you are looking,"--"I am glad to see you," &c. so common in his ears,
would scarcely ever have been used had it not been for my influence. To
be sure I have overheard him say, as we have been walking along, "There
goes an old acquaintance of mine; but, bless me, how altered he is! he
looks poor and meanly dressed, but I'm determined I'll speak to him, for
fear he should think me so shabby as to shy him." Thus giving an
instance in himself, certainly, of respect for the _man_ and not the
_coat_. My short history goes rather to prove that the reverse is almost
every day's experience. Matters went on pretty well with us until my
master was seized with a severe fit of illness, in consequence of which
his literary scheme was completely defeated, and his condition in life
materially injured; of course, the glad tones of encouragement which I
had been accustomed to hear were changed into expressions of condolence,
and sometimes assurances of unabated friendship; but then it must be
remembered that I, the handsomest blue coat, was _still in good
condition_, and it will perhaps appear, that if I were not my master's
_warmest_ friend, I was, at all events, the only one that _stuck to him
to the last_. Eternal respect to both of us continued much the same for
some time longer, but by degrees we both, _at the same time_, observed,
that an alteration began to take place. My master attributed this to his
altered fortunes, and I placed it to the score of my decayed
appearance--the threadbare cloth and tarnished button came in, I was
sure, for their full share of neglect, and he at last fell into the same
opinion. To describe all the variety of treatment that we experienced
would be a tedious and unpleasant task,--but I was the more convinced
that I had at least as much to do with it as my master, from observing
that all the gradations in manner, from coolness to shyness, and from
shyness to neglect, kept pace, remarkably, with the changes in my
appearance. My master was, at length, the only individual who paid any
respect or attention to me, after most of his old acquaintances had
ceased to notice him. I have heard him exclaim, "Oh, that mankind would
treat me with as much constancy as my old true blue! Thou hast
faithfully served me throughout the vicissitudes of fortune, and art
faithful still, now both of us are left to wither in adversity."
I could make a long story of it, were I to detail all my adventures;
they may, however, be easily imagined from what has been stated, and
from which it is evident, that in too many instances, the world pays
more respect to _the coat_, than to _the man_, and therefore that a man
would often derive more consequence and benefit if he had the advantage
of having for his patron--_a tailor_ instead of _a man of rank_. J. B.
* * * * *