The Adventures of Roderick Random

The Schoolmaster’s Advice

The schoolmaster promises his assistance through advice and otherwise, then directs the narrator to a nearby periwig warehouse. He insists the narrator not appear before Mr. Cringer until he has discarded his “carroty locks,” which he claims would inspire universal antipathy. Before they depart, the schoolmaster calls the narrator back, warning him to deliver Mr. Crab’s letter directly into Mr. Cringer’s own hand.

Purchasing a Periwig

Strap boasts about his ability to procure quality wigs and argues with the merchant so persistently that he is repeatedly asked to leave. Eventually the narrator selects a handsome bob wig for ten shillings. Back at their lodging, Strap removes the narrator’s objectionable hair immediately.

Denied at Mr. Cringer’s

Arriving early at Mr. Cringer’s door, informed that he conducts business by candlelight before attending his lord’s levee, Strap enthusiastically operates the door knocker so loudly that he alarms the entire street. A window above discharges a vessel’s contents onto Strap, soaking him to the skin, while the narrator escapes. A stern footman demands to know who made such a noise and, upon learning the narrator’s business, slams the door in his face, declaring he must learn better manners. Incensed, the narrator rebukes Strap, who responds by hurling a large stone at the offending house’s door, smashing the lock and fled. The narrator pursues him until they find themselves at dawn in an unfamiliar street.

An Encounter with a Stranger

A well-dressed stranger stops to pick up a dropped half-crown and insists it belongs to the narrator. After the narrator verifies his money is complete, the stranger declares it a godsend and proposes equal sharing. Despite the narrator’s refusal, the stranger invites them for a warming drink on the cold morning, and Strap’s whispered insistence leads to compliance. The stranger reveals his Scottish grandmother, praises the Scots as brave, well-educated, and honest, citing his former servant Gregor Macgregor as an example, which deeply moves the narrator and brings Strap to tears.