is a degree of
neatness, elegance, and spirit in the tie of the cravat, to which he has
in reality never yet been able to attain.

In conclusion, he is much gratified by the taste displayed in furnishing
him with so handsome a walking stick; and he assures all whom it may
concern, that the hint thus bestowed will not be lost upon him; for he
intends immediately to relinquish the large oaken cudgel which he has
hitherto been accustomed to carry, and to appear, in every respect, to
the present generation, such as he will descend to posterity.

PREFACE.

A great book, says an old proverb, is a great evil; and a great preface,
says a new one, is a great bore. It is not, therefore, our intention to
expatiate largely on the present occasion; especially since a long
discourse prefixed to a small volume, is like a forty-eight pounder at
the door of a pig-stye. We should as soon think of erecting the Nelson
Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Indeed, were it not necessary to
show some kind of respect to fashion, we should hasten at once into the
midst of things, instead of trespassing on the patience of our readers,
and possibly, trifling with their time. We should not like to be kept
waiting at a Lord Mayor's feast by a long description of the bill of
fare. Our preface, however, shall at least have the merit of novelty;
it shall be candid.

This book, like the razors in Dr. Wolcot's story, is made to _sell_.
This last word has a rather equivocal meaning-- but we scorn to blot,
otherwise we should say to be sold. An article offered for sale may,
nevertheless, be worth buying; and it is hoped that the resemblance
between the aforesaid razors, and this our production, does not extend
to the respective _sharpness_ of the commodities. The razors proved
scarcely worth a farthing to the clown who bought them for
eighteen-pence, and were fit to shave nothing but the beard of an
oyster. We trust that the "Comic Latin Grammar" will be found to _cut_,
now and then, rather better, at least, than that comes to; and that it
will reward the purchaser, at any rate, with his pennyworth for his
penny, by its genuine bona fide contents. There are many works, the
pages of which contain a good deal of useful matter-- sometimes in the
shape of an ounce of tea or a pound of butter: we venture to indulge the
expectation, that these latter additions to the value of our own, will
be considered unnecessary.

Perhaps we should have ado