had always been more industrious to improve his mind
than his fortune, and that his family must rather value themselves upon
his memory as he was a wise man than a rich one. He then told me that it
was a custom among the Romans for a man to give his slaves their liberty
when he lay upon his death-bed. I could not imagine what this meant,
until, after having a little composed himself, he ordered me to bring
him a flea which he had kept for several months in a chain, with a
design, as he said, to give it its manumission. This was done
accordingly. He then made the will, which I have since seen printed in
your works word for word. Only I must take notice that you have omitted
the codicil, in which he left a large _concha veneris_, as it is there
called, to a _Member of the Royal Society_, who was often with him in
his sickness, and _assisted him in his will_. And now, sir, I come to
the chief business of my letter, which is to desire your friendship and
assistance in the disposal of those many rarities and curiosities which
lie upon my hands. If you know any one that has an occasion for a parcel
of dried spiders, I will sell them a pennyworth. I could likewise let
any one have a bargain of cockle-shells. I would also desire your advice
whether I had best sell my beetles in a lump or by retail. The gentleman
above mentioned, who was my husband's friend, would have me make an
auction of all his goods, and is now drawing up a catalogue of every
particular for that purpose, with the two following words in great
letters over the head of them, Auctio Gimcrackiana. But, upon talking
with him, I begin to suspect he is as mad as poor Sir Nicholas was. Your
advice in all these particulars will be a great piece of charity to,
Sir, your most humble servant,

"'ELIZABETH GIMCRACK.'

"I shall answer the foregoing letter, and give the widow my best advice,
as soon as I can find out chapmen for the wares which she has to put
off."

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Life of Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. By the late George Williams
Fulcher. Edited by his Son. P. 157.

[3] Memoir of the Life of William Collins, R.A. By W. Wilkie Collins.
I., p. 235.

[4] The future author of "The Woman in White" and "The Dead Secret," and
many other works of celebrity.

[5] Memoirs of James Montgomery. By Holland and Everett. I., p. 283.

MONKEYS.

THE GORILLA AND ITS STORY.

In the British Museum, in handsome glass cases, and on the floors of the
three