intruders of yesterday," and beats them out of the
room. Such accidents happen frequently among neighbours' children, and
cousin-germans. For which reason I say study your race, or the soil of
your family will dwindle into cits or 'squires, or run up into wits or
madmen.

VI.--PROFESSIONAL: A CASE OF SPLEEN.

White's Chocolate House, October 12.

It will be allowed me that I have all along showed great respect in
matters which concern the fair sex; but the inhumanity with which the
author of the following letter has been used is not to be suffered:--

"Sir,

"Yesterday I had the misfortune to drop in at my Lady Haughty's upon her
visiting-day. When I entered the room where she receives company, they
all stood up indeed; but they stood as if they were to stare at, rather
than to receive me. After a long pause, a servant brought a round stool,
on which I sat down at the lower end of the room, in the presence of no
less than twelve persons, gentlemen and ladies, lolling in elbow-chairs.
And, to complete my disgrace, my mistress was of the society. I tried to
compose myself in vain, not knowing how to dispose of either my legs or
arms, nor how to shape my countenance, the eyes of the whole room being
still upon me in a profound silence. My confusion at last was so great,
that, without speaking, or being spoken to, I fled for it, and left the
assembly to treat me at their discretion. A lecture from you upon these
inhuman distinctions in a free nation will, I doubt not, prevent the
like evils for the future, and make it, as we say, as cheap sitting as
standing.

"I am, with the greatest respect, Sir,

"Your most humble, and

"Most obedient servant,

"J. R.

"Oct. 9.

"P.S.--I had almost forgot to inform you that a fair young lady sat in
an armless chair upon my right hand, with manifest discontent in her
looks."

Soon after the receipt of this epistle, I heard a very gentle knock at
my door. My maid went down and brought up word "that a tall, lean, black
man, well dressed, who said he had not the honour to be acquainted
with me, desired to be admitted." I bid her show him up, met him at
my chamber-door, and then fell back a few paces. He approached me with
great respect, and told me, with a low voice, "he was the gentleman that
had been seated upon the round stool." I immediately recollected that
there was a joint-stool in my chamber, which I was afraid he might take
for an instrument of distincti