o our friend Tallyho) afford both novelty and surprise.

"Some time ago, and before I was quite so well versed in the knowledge
of Life in London as at present, through the medium of one of the 'young
men of genius about town,' I became a member of a new philosophical
society called the Socratics, held at a certain house near Temple Bar.
Having been plucked by several kind friends, till I resembled the 'man
of Diogenes,' I concluded that here, at least, my pockets might be
tolerably safe from the diving of a friendly hand. Philosophers, I was
told by my friend the introducer, had souls above money; their thoughts
were too sublime and contemplative for such worldly-minded concerns.
I should have a great deal of instruction for little or nothing; I had
only to pay my two guineas per annum, and the business was done; the
gate of science was open, and nothing farther was requisite than to push
forward and imitate Socrates. But how strangely do our anticipations
mislead our sober judgments!

'Jove breaks the tallest stilts of human trust,
And levels those who use them with the dust.'

"The proprietor of the institution was rather courtier-like in
making promises, which the managers of course considered as much too
common-place and mechanical to be kept. It professed to exclude politics
and religion from the touch of its scientific paws; in other words, from
its discussions; but, alas!

'It kept the word of promise to the ear
And broke it to the hope.'

~~410~~~ "The only subjects which it did not exclude were politics
and religion. Neither could it be said that either of these subjects
received more benefit from the way in which they were handled, than
a white dress would from the handling of a chimney-sweeper, the first
being made as black as possible in the form of Tom-Payneism, and the
latter served up in the improved shape of Hartleyism or Atheism. Under
such instruction it was scarcely possible but that I should, in process
of time, become qualified, not only for a philosopher, but a legislator
of the first water; and I had serious thoughts of offering my services,
for the purpose of drawing up a code of laws, to the Otaheitans or the
Calmucks. If I had gone on improving as I did, I might, perhaps, have
carried out to some Backwood settlement or Atlantic island, as pretty a
Utopian prescription, under the designation of a constitution, as could
well be desired in the most phi