ritable country in the
world?'

'Wonderful!' said Popanilla; 'and what is the name, may I ask, of this
charitable city?'

'Is it possible,' said his companion, with a faint smile, 'that you are
ignorant of the great city of Hubbabub; the largest city not only
that exists, but that ever did exist, and the capital of the island of
Vraibleusia, the most famous island not only that is known, but that
ever was known?'

While he was speaking they were accosted by a man upon crutches, who,
telling them in a broken voice that he had a wife and twelve infant
children dependent on his support, supplicated a little charity.
Popanilla was about to empty part of his pocketfuls into the mendicant's
cap, but his companion repressed his unphilosophical facility. 'By no
means!' said his friend, who, turning round to the beggar, advised him,
in a mild voice, to work; calmly adding, that if he presumed to ask
charity again he should certainly have him bastinadoed. Then they walked
on.

Popanilla's attention was so distracted by the variety, the number, the
novelty, and the noise of the objects which were incessantly hurried
upon his observation, that he found no time to speak; and as his
companion, though exceedingly polite, was a man of few words,
conversation rather flagged.

At last, overwhelmed by the magnificence of the streets, the splendour
of the shops, the number of human beings, the rattling of the vehicles,
the dashing of the horses, and a thousand other sounds and objects,
Popanilla gave loose to a loud and fervent wish that his hotel might
have the good fortune of being situated in this interesting quarter.

'By no means!' said his companion; 'we have yet much further to go. Far
from this being a desirable situation for you, my friend, no civilised
person is ever seen here; and had not the cause of civil and religious
liberty fortunately called me to the water-side to-day, I should have
lost the opportunity of showing how greatly I esteem a gentleman who has
suffered so severely in the cause of national amelioration.'

'Sir!' said Popanilla, 'your approbation is the only reward which I ever
shall desire for my exertions. You will excuse me for not quite keeping
up with you; but the fact is, my pockets are so stuffed with cash that
the action of my legs is greatly impeded.'

'Credit me, my friend, that you are suffering from an inconvenience
which you will not long experience in Hubbabub. Nevertheless, to remedy
it