and "Will's," sneered at by wits, talked
of in palaces and cottages, by a busy race in wigs, red heels, hoops,
patches, and rags of all variety--a busy race that hath long since
plunged and vanished in the unfathomable gulf towards which we march so
briskly.

Where are they? "Afflavit Deus"--and they are gone! Hark! is not the
same wind roaring still that shall sweep us down? and yonder stands the
compositor at his types who shall put up a pretty paragraph some day to
say how, "Yesterday, at his house in Grosvenor Square," or "At Botany
Bay, universally regretted," died So-and-So. Into what profound
moralities is the paragraph concerning Mrs. Catherine's burning leading
us!

Ay, truly, and to that very point have we wished to come; for, having
finished our delectable meal, it behoves us to say a word or two by way
of grace at its conclusion, and be heartily thankful that it is over. It
has been the writer's object carefully to exclude from his drama (except
in two very insignificant instances--mere walking-gentlemen parts), any
characters but those of scoundrels of the very highest degree. That he
has not altogether failed in the object he had in view, is evident from
some newspaper critiques which he has had the good fortune to see; and
which abuse the tale of "Catherine" as one of the dullest, most vulgar,
and immoral works extant. It is highly gratifying to the author to find
that such opinions are abroad, as they convince him that the taste for
Newgate literature is on the wane, and that when the public critic has
right down undisguised immorality set before him, the honest creature is
shocked at it, as he should be, and can declare his indignation in good
round terms of abuse. The characters of the tale ARE immoral, and no
doubt of it; but the writer humbly hopes the end is not so. The public
was, in our notion, dosed and poisoned by the prevailing style of
literary practice, and it was necessary to administer some medicine
that would produce a wholesome nausea, and afterwards bring about a more
healthy habit.

And, thank Heaven, this effect HAS been produced in very many instances,
and that the "Catherine" cathartic has acted most efficaciously. The
author has been pleased at the disgust which his work has excited, and
has watched with benevolent carefulness the wry faces that have been
made by many of the patients who have swallowed the dose. Solomons
remembers, at the establishment in Birchin Lane where he ha