Rather an incongruous simile.

_B._ Not for a fashionable novel.--"There he stood, like Taciturnity
bowing at the feet of proud Authority."

_A._ Indeed, Barnstaple, that is too _outre_.

_B._ Not a whit: I am in the true "Cambysis' vein."--"Coridon having
softly withdrawn the rose-coloured gros de Naples bed-curtains, which by
some might have been thought to have been rather too extravagantly
fringed with the finest Mechlin lace, exclaimed with a tone of tremulous
deference and affection, '_Monsieur a bien dormi?_' 'Coridon,' said the
Honourable Augustus Bouverie, raising himself on his elbow in that
eminently graceful attitude, for which he was so remarkable when
reclining on the ottomans at Almack's----"

_A._ Are you sure they have ottamans there?

_B._ No; but your readers can't disprove it.--"'Coridon,' said he,
surveying his attendant from head to foot, and ultimately assuming a
severity of countenance, 'Coridon, you are becoming gross, if not
positively what the people call _fat_.' The Swiss attendant fell back in
graceful astonishment three steps, and arching his eyebrows, extending
his inverted palms forward, and raising his shoulders above the apex of
his head, exclaimed, '_Pardon, mi lor, j'en aurois un horreur parfait._'
'I tell you,' replied our gracefully recumbent hero, 'that it is so,
Coridon; and I ascribe it to your partiality for that detestable wine
called Port. Confine yourself to Hock and Moselle, sirrah: I fear me,
you have a base hankering after mutton and beef. Restrict yourself to
salads, and do not sin even with an omelette more than once a week.
Coridon must be visionary and diaphanous, or he is no Coridon for me.
Remove my night-gloves, and assist me to rise: it is past four o'clock,
and the sun must have, by this time, sufficiently aired this terrestrial
globe.'"

_A._ I have it now; I feel I could go on for an hour.

_B._ Longer than that, before you get him out of his dressing-room. You
must make at least five chapters before he is apparelled, or how can you
write a fashionable novel, in which you cannot afford more than two
incidents in the three volumes? Two are absolutely necessary for the
editor of the ---- Gazette to extract as specimens, before he winds up an
eulogy. Do you think that you can proceed now for a week, without my
assistance?

_A._ I think so, if you will first give me some general ideas. In the
first place, am I always to continue in this style?

_B._ No;