the general seemed to be at the same time a most
admirable ballet-master. But even more handsome and more wonderful were
the little gold coaches, which were drawn by four, six, or eight fleas.
Coachmen and servants were little gold flies, of the smallest kind and
almost invisible; while that, which sate within, could not be well
distinguished. One was involuntarily reminded of the equipage of Queen
Mab, so admirably described by Shakspeare's Mercutio, that it is easy
to perceive she must often have travelled athwart his own nose.

But it was not till you overlooked the table with a good magnifying
glass that the art of the flea-tamer developed itself in its full
extent; for then first appeared the splendour and grace of the vessels,
the fine workmanship of the arms, the glitter and neatness of the
uniforms, all of which excited the profoundest admiration. It was quite
impossible to imagine what instruments the flea-tamer could have used
in making neatly and proportionately certain little collaterals, such
as spurs and buttons, compared to which that matter seemed to be a very
trifling task, which else had passed for a master-piece of the tailor,
namely, the fitting a flea with a pair of breeches; though, indeed, in
this the most difficult part must have been the measuring.

The flea-tamer had abundance of visitors. Throughout the whole day the
hall was never free from the curious, who were not deterred by the
high price of admission. In the evening, too, the company was numerous,
nay almost more numerous, as then even those people, who cared little
about such trickeries, came to admire a work which gave the flea-tamer
quite another character, and acquired for him the real esteem of
the philosopher. This work was a night-microscope, that, as the
sun-microscope by day, like a magic lantern, flung the object, brightly
lit up, upon a white ground, with a sharpness and distinctness which left
nothing more to be wished. Moreover, the flea-tamer carried on a
traffic with the finest microscopes that could be, and which were
readily bought at a great price.

It chanced that a young man, called George Pepusch,--the kind reader
will soon be better acquainted with him,--took a fancy to visit the
flea-tamer late in the evening. Already, upon the stairs, he heard the
clamour of a dispute, that grew louder and louder with every moment,
and at last became a perfect tempest. Just as he was about to enter,
the door of the hall was vio