oon, "What d'ye tell me of a brass farthing?" said
he. "Did you ever know modern brass of such a relish? Do but taste it,
young gentleman; and sure I am, if you have ever been conversant with
subjects of this kind, you will find as wide a difference in the savour
between this and an English farthing as can possibly be perceived
betwixt an onion and a turnip. Besides, this medal has the true
Corinthian ring; then the attitude is upright, whereas that of Britannia
is reclining; and how is it possible to mistake a branch of palm for a
parazonium?"

All the rest of the company espoused the virtuoso's side of the
question, because the reputation of each was concerned. The patron,
finding himself in the same circumstance, assumed a solemnity of
feature, dashed with a small mixture of displeasure, and told Peregrine,
that as he had not made that branch of literature his particular
study, he was not surprised to see him mistaken in his opinion. Pickle
immediately understood the reproof, though he was shocked at the vanity
or infatuation of his entertainer and fellow-guests; asked pardon for
his presumption, which was accordingly excused, in consideration of his
inexperience; and the English farthing was dignified with the title of a
true antique.

The next person that addressed himself to the chief was a gentleman of a
very mathematical turn, who valued himself upon the improvements he had
made in several domestic machines, and now presented the plan of a new
contrivance for cutting cabbages, in such a manner as would secure the
stock against the rotting rain, and enable it to produce a plenteous
aftercrop of delicious sprouts. In this important machine he had united
the whole mechanic powers, with such massy complication of iron and
wood, that it could not have been moved without the assistance of
a horse, and a road made for the convenience of the draught. These
objections were so obvious, that they occurred at first sight to the
inspector-general, who greatly commended the invention, which, he
observed, might be applied to several other useful purposes, could it
once be rendered a little more portable and commodious.

The inventor, who had not foreseen these difficulties, was not prepared
to surmount them; but he took the hint in good part, and promised to
task his abilities anew, in altering the construction of his design. Not
but that he underwent some severe irony from the rest of the virtuosi,
who complimented him upo