However, you perceive the 1 The walls of the King's Bench are about thirty feet high, sur-mounted by a _chevaux de frieze_, and as a place of confinement, it is of great though uncertain antiquity.
accommodation of the inmates has been studied by the founders of the College.

Water is well supplied from four pumps, and were it not that the walls intercept the views, a man here might almost consider himself in his own habitation, with only one drawback." "And what is that ?" enquired Tallyho.
"Merely, that like the starling, he can't get out." "How now," said Merry well, who had espied the entrance of his friends from the window of his apartment, and immediately descended to greet them--touching the Honourable Tom Dashall on the shoulder, while he seized Bob by the opposite arm.
"What are you a'ter, exploring the secrets of the prison-house ?" Mutual congratulations having passed, Merrywell welcomed them to his habitation, significantly informing them at the same time, that notwithstanding his powers of entertainment were just then not what he could wish, all was right, the trick was done, that he was arranging for a house in the Rules, _pro tempore_, and that it would not be long before he should have the honour of meeting them in a way that would be more agreeable to all parties.

"However," continued he, "if you can bear a confined apartment, I promise you shall have nothing else to complain of.

Can you put up with pot-luck in a prison ?" "Certainly," was the reply, "our object was to spend a convivial hour with you, to wile away a little of the time, to see and learn, to take a peep at things as they are, and to form our judgments upon their existence." "Then," replied Merrywell, "you have arrived _en bon heure_, for in this place a volume of information may be obtained, which, if judiciously applied, must prove beneficial; and while dinner is preparing, I can afford you abundance of amusement; so come along, we must move round this way to the gate again, in order to take any thing like an accurate survey, and I can furnish some anecdotes of the paraders, the players, the officers of the Court, and the visitors, which cannot fail to prove interesting.

This, however, must be done with caution, for suspicion is ever active, and jealousy constantly awake within these walls; and as I mean to give you sketches of individual characters, rather than a general view of ~49~~ the society with which I am now in association, a little discretion may be well made use of." "Now let us analyse, but not too loud, If wise, the composition of this crowd; Made up from native soil and foreign clime, Of waste and folly, accident and crime.
Here join the Speculator and the Fool, Greybeards, and youngsters rather tit for school, (At least for any school but this alone, Where College vices in the shade are thrown.) Of pugilists, of haberdashers, jugglers, Horse jockeys, swindlers, Bond Street beaux, and smugglers, By hollow friendship some in prison thrown, By others' follies some--more by their own." By this time they had traversed round the open walk of the prison, and on arriving at the place of entrance-- "Do you observe that small building on the right?
it is called the State House, and contains the largest and most convenient rooms; it is usually devoted to the accommodation of such as are best enabled to pay; and there are persons residing here, who live as well, and in as dashing a style as those without the walls, or at least pay as much for their living.