the cellar, hampers of ale in the
drawing-room, and fiddles and fish-sauce in the library. The servants
unpacking all these in furious haste, and flying with them from place to
place, tumbled over one another upstairs and down. All was bustle,
uproar, and confusion; yet nothing seemed to advance, while the rage and
impetuosity of the squire continued fermenting to the highest degree of
exasperation, which he signified, from time to time, by converting some
newly-unpacked article, such as a book, a bottle, a ham, or a fiddle,
into a missile against the head of some unfortunate servant.

In the midst of this scene of confusion thrice confounded, arrived the
lovely Caprioletta Headlong, the squire's sister, whom he had sent for
to do the honours of his house, beaming like light on chaos, to arrange
disorder and harmonise discord. The tempestuous spirit of her brother
became as smooth as the surface of the lake of Llanberris, and in less
than twenty-four hours after her arrival, everything was disposed in its
proper station, and the squire began to be all impatience for the
appearance of his promised guests.

The first visitor was Marmaduke Milestone, Esq., a picturesque landscape
gardener of the first celebrity, who promised himself the glorious
achievement of polishing and trimming the rocks of Llanberris.

A postchaise brought the Reverend Doctor Gaster, and then came the three
philosophers.

The next arrival was that of Mr. Cranium and his lovely daughter, Miss
Cephalis Cranium, who flew to the arms of her dear friend Caprioletta.
Miss Cephalis blushed like a carnation at the sight of Mr. Escot, and
Mr. Escot glowed like a corn-poppy at the sight of Miss Cephalis.

Mr. Escot had formerly been the received lover of Miss Cephalis, till he
incurred the indignation of her father by laughing at a very profound
dissertation which the old gentleman delivered.

Next arrived a postchaise containing four insides. These personages were
two very profound critics, Mr. Gall and Mr. Treacle, and two very
multitudinous versifiers, Mr. Nightshade and Mr. McLaurel.

The last arrivals were Mr. Cornelius Chromatic, the most scientific of
all amateurs of the fiddle, with his two blooming daughters, Miss
Tenorina and Miss Graziosa; Sir Patrick O'Prism, a dilettante painter of
high renown, and his maiden aunt, Miss Philomela Poppyseed, a compounder
of novels written for the express purpose of supporting every species of
superstition a