; on examining the background of the picture, you
will perceive that it is already of a dusky, sombre hue; now, this being
of a meditative and grave character, has been denominated by our academy
the 'brown-study color'; and it would clearly have been supererogatory
to lay the same tint upon it. No, sir; we avoid repetitions even in our
prayers, deeming them to be so many proofs of an illogical and of an
anti-consecutive mind."

"The system is admirable, and I see new beauties at each moment. You
enjoy the advantage, for instance, under this mode of enumeration, of
knowing your acquaintances from behind, quite as well as if you met them
face to face!"

"The suggestion is ingenious, showing an active and an
observant mind; but it does not quite reach the motive of the
politico-numerical-identity system of which we are speaking. The objects
of this arrangement are altogether of a higher and more useful nature;
nor do we usually recognize our friends by their countenances, which at
the best are no more than so many false signals, but by their tails."

"This is admirable! What a facility you possess for recognizing an
acquaintance who may happen to be up a tree! But may I presume to
inquire, Dr. Reasono, what are the most approved of the advantages of
the politico-numerical-identity system? For impatience is devouring my
vitals."

"They are connected with the interests of government. You know, sir,
that society is established for the purposes of governments, and
governments, themselves, mainly to facilitate contributions and
taxations. Now, by the numerical system, we have every opportunity
of including the whole monikin race in the collections, as they are
periodically checked off by their numbers. The idea was a happy thought
of an eminent statistician of ours, who gained great credit at court
by the invention, and, in fact, who was admitted to the academy in
consequence of its ingenuity."

"Still it must be admitted, my dear Doctor," put in Lord Chatterino,
always with the modesty, and, perhaps I might add, with the generosity
of youth, "that there are some among us who deny that society was
made for governments, and who maintain that governments were made for
society; or, in other words, for monikins."

"Mere theorists, my good lord; and their opinions, even if true, are
never practised on. Practice is everything in political matters; and
theories are of no use, except as they confirm practice."

"Both theory a