““Both,” replied Sam; “easy shavin’ was his natur, and cuttin’ and curlin’ was his pride and glory. His whole delight wos in his trade.”
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Author: Charles Dickens in vun!’” {15} While Mr. Pickwick is listening to Master Humphrey’s story above, the Wellers are entertained by the housekeeper in the kitchen, where they find Mr. Slithers, the barber, to whom Sam Weller, drawing extensively we may suppose upon his lively imagination, relates the following anecdote:— “I never knew,” said Sam, fixing his eyes in a ruminative manner upon the blushing barber, “I never knew but von o’ your trade, but _he_ wos worth a dozen, and wos indeed dewoted to his callin’!” “Was he in the easy shaving way, sir,” inquired Mr. Slithers; “or in the cutting and curling line?” “Both,” replied Sam; “easy shavin’ was his natur, and cuttin’ and curlin’ was his pride and glory. His whole delight wos in his trade. He spent all his money in bears and run in debt for ’em besides, and there they wos a growling avay down in the front cellar all day long, and ineffectooally gnashing their teeth, vile the grease o’ their relations and friends wos being re-tailed in gallipots in the shop above, and the first-floor winder wos ornamented vith their heads; not to speak o’ the dreadful aggrawation it must have been to ’em to see a man alvays a walkin’ up and down the pavement outside, vith the portrait of a bear in his last agonies, and underneath in large letters, ‘Another fine animal wos slaughtered yesterday a Public domain in the USA.Read evidence
Source
- Title
- Speeches: Literary and Social
- Type
- Public-domain primary text · Primary source
- Edition date
- 1880
- Edition
- 1880 Chatto and Windus edition
- Location
- INTRODUCTION.
- Held by
- Chatto and Windus
Context
Asked whether the barber specialized in shaving or haircutting, Sam says he excelled at both.
What it means
Dickens humorously portrays professional dedication in fictional dialogue.
Cite this source
- Bibliography entry
- Dickens, Charles. (1880). Speeches: Literary and Social. Chatto and Windus. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/824/pg824.txt
- Quotation citation
- Dickens (1880, INTRODUCTION.)
- In-text citation
- (Dickens, 1880, INTRODUCTION.)
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Provenance: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/824/pg824.txt