dingly coarse grain. While
they were making these observations the twelve Managers had assembled
in deep consultation around the Statue, and in a very few minutes the
Oracle was prepared. The answer was very simple, but the exordium was
sublime. It professed that the Vraibleusian nation was the saviour and
champion of the world; that it was the first principle of its policy to
maintain the cause of any people struggling for their rights as men; and
it avowed itself to be the grand patron of civil and religious liberty
in all quarters of the globe. Forty-seven battalions of infantry and
eighteen regiments of cavalry, twenty-four sail of the line, seventy
transports, and fifteen bombketches, were then ordered to leave
Vraibleusia for the North in less than sixty minutes!

'What energy!' said Popanilla; 'what decision! what rapidity of
execution!'

'Ay!' said the Aboriginal, smacking his thigh; 'let them say what
they like about their proportions, and mixtures, and metals--abstract
nonsense! No one can deny that our Government works well. But see! here
comes another messenger!'

'O thou wisest and best! thou richest and mightiest! thou glory and
admiration! thou defence and consternation! Lo! the people of the South
have cut their king's head off!'

'Well! I suppose that is exactly what you all want,' said the innocent
Popanilla.

The Private Secretary looked mysterious, and said that he was not
prepared to answer; that his department never having been connected
with this species of business he was unable at the moment to give his
Excellency the requisite information. At the same time, he begged to
state that, provided anything he said should not commit him, he had
no objection to answer the question hypothetically. The Aboriginal
Inhabitant said that he would have no hypotheses or Jacobins; that he
did not approve of cutting off kings' heads; and that the Vraibleusians
were the most monarchical people in the world. So saying, he walked
up, without any ceremony, to the chief Manager, and taking him by the
button, conversed with him some time in an earnest manner, which made
the stocks fall two per cent.

The Statue ordered three divisions of the grand army and a
battering-train of the first grade off to the South without the loss
of a second. A palace and establishment were immediately directed to
be prepared for the family of the murdered monarch, and the
commander-in-chief was instructed to make every exertion to