"He invited the two musicians to pass a week "in the country with him, at a refidence con"nected with a part of his preferment. They held him cheap as a mufician-cheaper "as a divine, (though a dignitary,) and cheaper "ftill as a companion. But, they had infinite refpect for his good "fare-the challenge was accepted, and the "mail-coach conveyed them to their hoft-the "cook went bodkin between them. "The dinner was exquifite-the wine deli"cious. But after four or five glaffes of it, "Abel faw, with difmay, the edge of a fermon "peering out of Admetus's pocket. " "It faid, or feemed to fay," "you must hear as well as drink;" Abel conveyed across the ta"ble a look of horror to his friend, as much as to fay, "the dinner, which is gone, or the wine "that is before us, cannot pay us for what is "to come." "After many awkward efforts, the paper, "inch by inch, rifing in the pocket, and after a "kind of amorous delay, which coquetted with "his modeft fears, the author produced his "work, and spread it upon the table. "He paid many compliments to Abel (who "thanked him in broken-English) for his know ledge of the language !—he requested his opi"nion of the difcourfe, and was preparing to read "when the other faid, "that he could venture "to approve it before hand, as he was quite "fure "fure it would be as eloquent as any thing in St. "Paul." "Oh, but you must hear it, that you may "point out the faults and correct them." "He read the discourse, which occupied near " an hour. They fimulated profound attention, "and thought of nothing but the wine, which "they took in more copious libations, to relieve "them against the monotony, and the dullness of "the ferenade. Well, my dear Abel! do not flatter me! "what is really your opinion of this work?” Why! (faid Abel) it is very fine, prodi"gionfly fine-but is it not a littel too long?". "Do you think fo?" replied St. Paul, ftung to "the heart. The tone of pique, and of dissembled anger, which marked this question, gave hopes to the Athenians, (but, alas! they were infi"dious hopes,) that no fuch interruption to the repofe of their enjoyments, would be attempted again. "The very following day this devoted paper appeared again. "You were in the right, my "dear Abel, it was too long; it is improved by "your hint I have shortened it very much." Again, it was read ab ovo ad mala ; and then, at "leaft (as he had lopt off near half the volume) applaufe unqualified, was, in fome degree, "affumed; or with complacency of felf-love, "anticipated. But the inhuman Abel answered: "why, it is better to be fure-it is a great deal "better "better than it was, and it is very fine-but it " is too long—it is a littel too long. "The enraged, but ambitious author, proceeded every day with a diminuendo each time, till on "the Saturday, with a peevish kind of sneer, he faid, "this, to oblige you, is an epigram—it is "the shortest thing of the kind ever known"it is a bare quarter of an hour, and my habit " is forty minutes at an average. But you seem "determined against me.” "Not at all, (faid Abel,) I am honeft, I am your friend." "Well, "here it is!" and he read it, (having affured his "critic, that although he could not help thinking him too fevere, he refpected his motives.) "When he had finished, Abel said, "I cannot "help it, I must be honest, it is better-it is "much better than it has been yet-but it is too << long." Why (faid the other) this is more than "is to be endured; it really is almost as much "as to fay, it would be improved if the whole was taken away!" "Why, Doctor, to say " what I tink, it would be the best of all.” To this banter upon Edmond, and me, I answer-with His Grace the Archbishop of Granada-" Farewell!-I wish you all manner of prosperity, and a better taste !” APPENDIX. APPENDIX. Page 7. Malonico-Minutiana. For etcetera read etcetera. This improvement upon the hypothesis of an erratum, is borrowed from Edmond, vol. 10, 683. [For etcætera r. etcætera.] It corrects an error by repeating it. For fho'uld r. fa'uld, ibid, 548, is of the fame caft. If there is a difference the Fairies alone can see it. * HERE ENDS THE FIRST VOLUME OF THE FIRST VOLUME. * * [Hibernico—Malonicè. |