John Leech and other papers

John Leech. 75
At St. Bartholomew's and elsewhere, John had at
this early period of his life made friendships, which
he always prized, with Albert Smith, with Percival
Leigh (the author of the Comic E?iglish Granwiar,
Pips' Diary, etc. ), for whom he had a most affectionate
regard, with Mr. Adams who was, I think, reading
law, and who being well-to-do, and having a carriage
and horses, delighted young Leech by driving him
about town, as afterwards, when Mr. Adams lived in
Hertfordshire, by mounting him with the hounds.
The young gentlemen occasionally ' heard the chimes
at midnight, Master Shallow,' and enjoyed together
a large amount of harmless fun. On one occasion
when they were representing with great success before
His Majesty's lieges a select company of glee-singers,
and were liberally rewarded with small coin and
copper, ' I crossed the street ' (said J. L. to me), ' to
a very attentive listener, and held out my cap. But
he quietly produced a small fiddle from behind his
back, and silently pleaded exemption from my claims,
on the score of "being in the trade."'
Mr. ' Rawkins ' married the widow of a publican,
and his former pupils derived intense gratification
from his last new cartoon, which they went often
to see, — Hercules in his shirt-sleeves (the shirt not
by Deianira), peacefully drawing beer.
John Leech seems to have gradually given up his
medical studies, and to have resolved to live by his