tages which had not been yet enjoyed by those who had previously
peeped into it. The monkeys had not been composed to sleep by the
'Universal Linguist' of Mr. Hamilton. As for Popanilla, he took up a
treatise on hydrostatics, and read it straight through on the spot. For
the rest of the day he was hydrostatically mad; nor could the commonest
incident connected with the action or conveyance of water take place
without his speculating on its cause and consequence.

So enraptured was Popanilla with his new accomplishments and
acquirements that by degrees he avoided attendance on the usual evening
assemblages, and devoted himself solely to the acquirement of useful
knowledge. After a short time his absence was remarked; but the greatest
and the most gifted has only to leave his coterie, called the world, for
a few days, to be fully convinced of what slight importance he really
is. And so Popanilla, the delight of society and the especial favourite
of the women, was in a very short time not even inquired after. At
first, of course, they supposed that he was in love, or that he had
a slight cold, or that he was writing his memoirs; and as these
suppositions, in due course, take their place in the annals of society
as circumstantial histories, in about a week one knew the lady, another
had beard him sneeze, and a third had seen the manuscript. At the end of
another week Popanilla was forgotten.

CHAPTER 4

Six months had elapsed since the first chest of the cargo of Useful
Knowledge destined for the fortunate Maldives had been digested by the
recluse Popanilla; for a recluse he had now become. Great students are
rather dull companions. Our Fantaisian friend, during his first studies,
was as moody, absent, and querulous as are most men of genius during
that mystical period of life. He was consequently avoided by the men and
quizzed by the women, and consoled himself for the neglect of the first
and the taunts of the second by the indefinite sensation that he should,
some day or other, turn out that little being called a great man. As for
his mistress, she considered herself insulted by being addressed by
a man who had lost her lock of hair. When the chest was exhausted
Popanilla was seized with a profound melancholy. Nothing depresses a
man's spirits more completely than a self-conviction of self-conceit;
and Popanilla, who had been accustomed to consider himself and his
companions as the most elegant portion of the vis