ose the health of Mr. Minns.'

'Standing, gentlemen!' shouted the indefatigable little man with the
whiskers--'and with the honours. Take your time from me, if you please.
Hip! hip! hip!--Za!--Hip! hip! hip!--Za!--Hip hip!--Za-a-a!'

All eyes were now fixed on the subject of the toast, who by gulping down
port wine at the imminent hazard of suffocation, endeavoured to conceal
his confusion. After as long a pause as decency would admit, he rose,
but, as the newspapers sometimes say in their reports, 'we regret that we
are quite unable to give even the substance of the honourable gentleman's
observations.' The words 'present company--honour--present occasion,'
and 'great happiness'--heard occasionally, and repeated at intervals,
with a countenance expressive of the utmost confusion and misery,
convinced the company that he was making an excellent speech; and,
accordingly, on his resuming his seat, they cried 'Bravo!' and manifested
tumultuous applause. Jones, who had been long watching his opportunity,
then darted up.

'Budden,' said he, 'will you allow _me_ to propose a toast?'

'Certainly,' replied Budden, adding in an under-tone to Minns right
across the table, 'Devilish sharp fellow that: you'll be very much
pleased with his speech. He talks equally well on any subject.' Minns
bowed, and Mr. Jones proceeded:

'It has on several occasions, in various instances, under many
circumstances, and in different companies, fallen to my lot to propose a
toast to those by whom, at the time, I have had the honour to be
surrounded, I have sometimes, I will cheerfully own--for why should I
deny it?--felt the overwhelming nature of the task I have undertaken, and
my own utter incapability to do justice to the subject. If such have
been my feelings, however, on former occasions, what must they be
now--now--under the extraordinary circumstances in which I am placed.
(Hear! hear!) To describe my feelings accurately, would be impossible;
but I cannot give you a better idea of them, gentlemen, than by referring
to a circumstance which happens, oddly enough, to occur to my mind at the
moment. On one occasion, when that truly great and illustrious man,
Sheridan, was--'

Now, there is no knowing what new villainy in the form of a joke would
have been heaped on the grave of that very ill-used man, Mr. Sheridan, if
the boy in drab had not at that moment entered the room in a breathless
state, to report that, as it was a very wet