he women the justice to observe, that
in this sort of exercise they were by no means less alert than their
husbands. The method of proceeding was this:--To some eight or ten
persons a couple of liqueur glasses were allotted. These being filled,
a sip was taken out of each, by the individuals who appeared to preside
over the destinies of the bottle; they were then handed round, and
drank in portions till drained dry. No time was, however, lost in
replenishing them, so that the fire was both brisk and well sustained.
Neither were the courtesies of civilised life omitted. At each separate
sip the party sipping pledged the whole company; so that on a moderate
computation, I had my health drunk that night at least a hundred and
fifty times.

Ten o'clock struck, but the joyous rout exhibited no symptoms of
moving; eleven came, and still they sat. This was rather too much of a
good thing; for we must needs be a-foot by five in the morning, and we
could not lie down till the chamber should be cleared. At last the
schoolmaster, through the haze which his beer, and schnaps, and
tobacco-smoke, had drawn around him, discovered that I was yawning with
some vehemence, and looking tired. He accordingly rose, and suggested
an adjournment; but his proposition was scouted. They must have one
bottle more, and they had it; another, and they had that too; till I
began to fear that they meant to favour us, as I recollect long ago
favouring a delicate friend of mine at College,--that is, to sit up
with us till the hour of march arrived, and then give us a convoy. But
the memory of my poor friend's first letter, in which he described the
misery of a mail-coach journey to Bristol, after a sleepless night, put
me on my guard. I hinted that we had all better get to bed, and my hint
was immediately taken. They went away in the best humour possible,
after repeatedly shaking us by the hands, and wishing us all manner of
prosperity, both abroad and at home.

I should flatter the good landlady at Golden Traum, if I were to say,
that her beds were either clean or comfortable. In fact, we did not
venture to undress; and we were up punctual to the moment which
over-night we had fixed upon as convenient for starting. Again,
however, the linen which we had committed to the care of the
washerwoman, was to seek, and our journey, much to our chagrin, was
delayed till past seven. Meanwhile, we got from the hostess as much
information respecting her neighbour