o wear it
for a few months until the true Florimel comes forward in her original
beauty, dissolves her snowy counterfeit, and reclaims her own 'golden
cestus.'"

This was very well for "my friend" to wish at the time he _did_ wish
it: for that was more than two months ago. At present (December 11)
matters are changed: the true Florimel is said to be just on the point
of embarking at Leith in Mr. Constable's ship: and we must again
consult Spenser to see what is likely to happen in this case to the
false Florimel:

Then did he set her by that snowy one,
Like the true saint beside the image set.
Of both their beauties to make paragone
And triall--whether should the honor get.
Streightway, so soone as both together met,
Th' enchanted damzell vanisht into nought:
Her snowy substance melted as with heat;
Ne of that goodly hew remayned ought,
But th' emptie girdle which about her wast was wrought.
_Faery Queene_, B. V. C. 3.

Shocking! I abominate the omen; [Greek: apeptusa]. What, my two
volumes, post 8vo. "vanish into nought?" Delectable news this!--No, no:
Spenser may be a pretty fair prophet as prophets went in Queen
Elizabeth's days: about the reviewers I hope he is: but prophets, I
trust, have their weak points as well as other people. The _Sortes
Spenserianae_ are no Sortes Virgilianae. And, if my prayers to Neptune
are heard, the case will take a different turn. I wish for no ill luck
to Mr. Constable--his ship--or her cargo. I wish him a safe voyage: but
I hope it is no sin to wish him a long one. It could do no harm to
him--his ship--ship's company--or Florimel, if Neptune would order a
tumbling sea and a good stiff South-West wind to blow them safe and
sound into some excellent harbour on the coast of Norway. In that
harbour, good Neptune, keep Mr. Constable for a month. By that time I
and my snowy Florimel shall have transacted all our business. The two
Florimels will never meet; and the fatal results of 'melting,' and
'vanishing into nought,' will thus be obviated. That done, by all means
I would have Neptune take off the embargo, and let Mr. Constable out.
The German Florimel will have cleared the stage; and no one will
witness with more pleasure than myself the spectacle of the true Scotch
Florimel resuming the girdle which she can have dropped only from
accident or venial negligence.

FOOTNOTES TO "POSTSCRIPT."