Martin Chuzzlewit Chapter 17

In which Martin, newly arrived in a bustling city, enlarges his acquaintance with a discerning and candid gentleman named Bevan and gains a vivid glimpse of the peculiarities, social distinctions, and domestic scenes within his host’s circle, encountering a diversity of characters both sincere and pretentious. Amid these varied encounters, he is left to ponder the harsh realities and contradictions of this foreign society, finding solace only in the cheerful companionship of his faithful friend Mr Tapley and a refreshing local custom.