abitants of this town." Hereupon Num again blew
the trumpet till he was black in the face; and Timothy, dropping on his
donkey, rode away to other parts of the town, where he repeated his
grandiloquent announcement, followed, as may be supposed, by a numerous
cortege of little ragged boys.

About four o'clock in the afternoon, Melchior made his appearance in the
market-place, attended by me, dressed as a German student, Timothy and
Num in their costumes. A stage had been already prepared, and the
populace had crowded round it more with the intention of laughing than
of making purchases. The various packets were opened and arranged in
front of the platform, I standing on one side of Melchior, Timothy on
the other, and Num with his trumpet, holding on by one of the scaffold
poles at the corner.

"Sound the trumpet, Philotas," said Melchior, taking off his
three-cornered hat, and making a low bow to the audience, at every
blast. "Pray, Mr Fool, do you know why you sound the trumpet?"

"I'm sure I don't know," replied Num, opening his goggle eyes.

"Do you know, Mr Dionysius?"

"Yes, sir, I can guess."

"Explain, then, to the gentlemen and ladies who have honoured us with
their presence."

"Because, sir, trumpets are always sounded before great conquerors."

"Very true, sir-, but how am I a great conqueror?"

"You have conquered death, sir; and he's a very rum customer to have to
deal with."

"Dionysius, you have answered well, and shall have some bullock's liver
for your supper--don't forget to remind me, in case I forget it."

"No, that I won't, sir," replied Timothy, rubbing his stomach, as if
delighted with the idea.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Melchior to the audience, who were on the
broad grin, "I see your mouths are all open, and are waiting for the
pills; but be not too impatient--I cannot part with my medicines unless
you have diseases which require their aid; and I should, indeed, be a
sorry doctor, if I prescribed without knowing your complaints. _Est
neutrale genus signans rem non animatam_, says Herodotus, which in
English means, what is one man's meat is another man's poison; and
further, he adds, _Ut jecur, ut onus, put ut occiput_, which is as much
as to say, that what agrees with one temperament, will be injurious to
another. Caution, therefore, becomes very necessary in the use of
medicine; and my reputation depends upon my not permitting any one to
take what is not good for him. And now,