ast whom we shall
enumerate, although not the least, was a very remarkable character of
that day, being no other than Cooke, the Pythagorean, from the county of
Waterford. He held, of course, the doctrines of Pythagoras, and believed
in the transmigration of souls. He lived upon a vegetable diet, and
wore no clothing which had been taken or made from the wool or skins of
animals, because he knew that they! must have been killed before these
_exuviae_ could be applied to human use. His dress, consequently, during
the inclemency of winter and the heats of summer, consisted altogether
of linen, and even his shoes were of vegetable fabric. Our readers,
consequently, need not feel surprised at the complaint of the
philosopher, which was a chronic and most excruciating rheumatism that
racked every bone in his Pythagorean body. He was, however, like a
certain distinguished teetotaler and peace preserver of our own city and
our own day, a mild and benevolent man, whose monomania affected nobody
but himself, and him it did affect through every bone of his body. He
was attended by his own servants, especially by his own cook--for he was
a man of wealth and considerable rank in the country--in order that he
could rely upon their fidelity in seeing that nothing contrary to his
principles might be foisted upon him. He had his carriage, in which
he drove out every day, and into which and out of which his servants
assisted him. We need scarcely assure our readers that he was the
lion of the place, or that no individual there excited either so much
interest or curiosity. Of the many others of various, but subordinate
classes we shall not speak. Wealthy farmers, professional men, among
whom, however, we cannot omit Counsellor Puzzlewell, who, by the way,
had one eye upon Miss Rosebud and another upon the comely-widow herself,
together with several minor grades down to the very paupers of society,
were all there.

About this period it was resolved to have a dinner, to be followed by a
ball in the latter part of the evening. This was the project of Squire
Manifold, whose physician attended him like, or very unlike, his shadow,
for he was a small thin man, with sharp eyes and keen features, and so
slight that if put into the scale against the shadow he would scarcely
weigh it up. The squire's wife, who was a cripple, insisted that he
should accompany her husband, in order to see that he might not gorge
himself into the apoplectic fit with