fact and what she only supposes to be such.

The frequent use of some favorite word, or phrase, is a common defect in
conversation, and can only be guarded against by asking your friends to
point it out to you, whenever they observe such a habit; for your own
ear, having become accustomed to it, may not detect it. Some persons
apply the epithets _glorious_ or _splendid_ to all sorts of objects
indiscriminately, from a gorgeous sunset to a good dinner.

A young lady once tried to describe a pic-nic party to me in the
following terms: "There were ten of us--four on horseback and the rest
in carriages. We set off at a _glorious_ rate, and had a _splendid_ time
in getting there; I rode the most _elegant_, perfect creature you ever
beheld, and capered along _gloriously_. When we all got there, we walked
about in the woods, and gathered the most _splendid_ flowers, and dined
under the shade of a _glorious_ old elm-tree. We had our cold provisions
spread out on the grass, and every thing was _elegant_. We had
_glorious_ appetites, too, and the ham and ale were _splendid_, and put
us all in fine spirits. Some of the gentlemen sang funny songs; but one
sang such a dreadfully sentimental one, and to such a horrid doleful
tune, it made us all miserable. So then we broke up, and had a
_splendid_ time packing away the things; such fun! I had almost killed
myself with laughing, and we broke half the things. But the ride home
was the most _splendid_ of all; we arrived at the top of the hill just
in time to see the most _glorious_ sunset I ever beheld!"

In this short account, the word "glorious" is used five times, and in
all but the last, it is grossly misapplied. The same is the case with
the word "splendid," except that it is not once used properly.
"Elegant," too, is equally inapplicable to horses and cold provisions.
Yet this style of conversing is so common, that it hardly arrests the
attention of many, who nevertheless would condemn it at once, if they
thought at all about it.

EGOTISM.

Has it ever happened to any but myself, to listen to I, I, I, in
conversation, till, wearied with the monotony of the sound, I was fain
to quarrel with the useful little word, and almost wish I could portray
its hydra head, and present it in a mirror to my oracles, that they
might turn away disgusted for ever with its hideous form.

I took up my abode for some time with a lady, whose habits of
benevolence were extensive, and of w