by no means qualified: if he had all the inclination in
the world, it is not in his power to be mad; his spirits are too
flat to be kindled into phrenzy.' ''Tis no bad p-p-puff,
how-owever,' observed a person in a tarnished laced coat:
'aff-ffected m-madness w-will p-pass for w-wit w-with nine-nineteen
out of t-twenty.' 'And affected stuttering for humour,' replied our
landlord; 'though, God knows! there is no affinity betwixt them.' It
seems this wag, after having made some abortive attempts in plain
speaking, had recourse to this defect, by means of which he
frequently extorted the laugh of the company, without the least
expense of genius; and that imperfection, which he had at first
counterfeited, was now become so habitual, that he could not lay it
aside.

"A certain winking genius, who wore yellow gloves at dinner, had, on
his first introduction, taken such offence at S----, because he looked
and talked, and ate and drank, like any other man, that he spoke
contemptuously of his understanding ever after, and never would
repeat his visit, until he had exhibited the following proof of his
caprice. Wat Wyvil, the poet, having made some unsuccessful advances
towards an intimacy with S----, at last gave him to understand, by a
third person, that he had written a poem in his praise, and a satire
against his person: that if he would admit him to his house, the
first should be immediately sent to press; but that if he persisted
in declining his friendship, he would publish the satire without
delay. S---- replied, that he looked upon Wyvil's panegyric as, in
effect, a species of infamy, and would resent it accordingly with a
good cudgel; but if he published the satire, he might deserve his
compassion, and had nothing to fear from his revenge. Wyvil having
considered the alternative, resolved to mortify S---- by printing the
panegyric, for which he received a sound drubbing. Then he swore the
peace against the aggressor, who, in order to avoid a prosecution at
law, admitted him to his good graces. It was the singularity in
S----'s conduct on this occasion, that reconciled him to the
yellow-gloved philosopher, who owned he had some genius; and from
that period cultivated his acquaintance.

"Curious to know upon what sub