midnight
There stood the projector , with his mysterious brow , promising unbounded wealth to whomsoever might choose to furnish the small preliminary sum necessary to change egg-shells into the great _ arcanum _ . There was Captain Seagull , undertaker for a foreign settlement , with the map under his arm of Indian or American kingdoms , beautiful as the primitive Eden , waiting the bold occupants , for whom a generous patron should equip two brigantines and a fly-boat . Thither came , fast and frequent , the gamesters , in their different forms and calling . This , light , young , gay in appearance , the thoughtless youth of wit and pleasure -- the pigeon rather than the rook -- but at heart the same sly , shrewd , cold-blooded calculator , as yonder old hard-featured professor of the same science , whose eyes are grown dim with watching of the dice at midnight ; and whose fingers are even now assisting his mental computation of chances and of odds . The fine arts , too -- I would it were otherwise -- have their professors amongst this sordid train . The poor poet , half ashamed , in spite of habit , of the part which he is about to perform , and abashed by consciousness at once of his base motive and his shabby black coat , lurks in yonder corner for the favourable moment to offer his dedication . Much better attired , the architect presents his splendid vision of front and wings , and designs a palace , the expense of which may transfer his employer to a jail .