ng seen your performance in manuscript, has already
hinted to every company in which he is conversant, that you solicited
his assistance in retouching the piece, which you have now offered to
the public, and that he was pleased to favour you with his advice,
but found you obstinately bigoted to your own opinion, in some points
relating to those very passages which have not met with the approbation
of the town. As for his caresses, there was nothing at all extraordinary
in his behaviour. By that time you have lived to my age, you will not
be surprised to see a courtier's promise and performance of a different
complexion; not but that I would willingly act as an auxiliary in your
resentment."

The opinion of the president was strengthened by the concurrence of all
the members; and all other complaints and memorials being deferred till
another sitting, the college proceeded to an exercise of wit, which was
generally performed once every fortnight, with a view to promote the
expectoration of genius. The subject was occasionally chosen by the
chairman, who opened the game with some shrewd remark naturally arising
from the conversation; and then the ball was tossed about, from one
corner of the room to the other, according to the motions of the spirit.

That the reader may have a just idea of this sport, and of the abilities
of those who carried it on, I shall repeat the sallies of this evening,
according to the order and succession in which they escaped. One of the
members observing that Mr. Metaphor was absent, was told by the person
who sat next to him, that the poet had foul weather at home, and could
not stir abroad. "What!" said the president, interposing, with the
signal upon his countenance, "is he wind-bound, in port?"--"Wine-bound,
I suppose," cried another. "Hooped with wine! a strange metaphor!" said
the third. "Not if he has got into a hogshead," answered the fourth.
"The hogshead will sooner get into him," replied a fifth; "it must be a
tun or an ocean."--"No wonder then, if he should be overwhelmed," said
a sixth. "If he should," cried a seventh, "he will cast up when his gall
breaks."--"That must be very soon," roared an eighth, "for it has been
long ready to burst." "No, no," observed a ninth, "he'll stick fast
at the bottom, take my word for it; he has a natural alacrity in
sinking."--"And yet," remarked a tenth, "I have seen him in the
clouds."--"Then was he cloudy, I suppose," cried the eleventh.
"So dark