t
from the blotted manuscript, as Dr. Johnson has printed the alterations
in Pope's version of the Iliad:

1. _Maids._ 2. _Dames._ unity joining.
The [nymphs] of St. Ronan's [in purpose combining]

1. _Swain._ 2. _Man._
To the [youth] who is great both in verse and designing,
......... dining.

The eloquence of a prose billet was necessarily resorted to in the
absence of the heavenly muse, and the said billet was secretly intrusted
to the care of Trotting Nelly. The same trusty emissary, when refreshed
by her nap among the pease-straw, and about to harness her cart for her
return to the seacoast, (in the course of which she was to pass the
Aultoun,) received another card, written, as he had threatened, by Sir
Bingo Binks himself, who had given himself this trouble to secure the
settlement of the bet; conjecturing that a man with a fashionable
exterior, who could throw twelve yards of line at a cast with such
precision, might consider the invitation of Winterblossom as that of an
old twaddler, and care as little for the good graces of an affected
blue-stocking and her _coterie_, whose conversation, in Sir Bingo's
mind, relished of nothing but of weak tea and bread and butter. Thus the
happy Mr. Francis Tyrrel received, considerably to his surprise, no less
than three invitations at once from the Well of St. Ronan's.

FOOTNOTE:

[I-13] The one or the other was equally _in votis_ to Ascanius,--

"Optat aprum, aut fulvum descendere monte leonem."

Modern Trojans make a great distinction betwixt these two objects of
chase.

CHAPTER V.

EPISTOLARY ELOQUENCE.

But how can I answer, since first I must read thee?

PRIOR.

Desirous of authenticating our more important facts, by as many original
documents as possible, we have, after much research, enabled ourselves
to present the reader with the following accurate transcripts of the
notes intrusted to the care of Trotting Nelly. The first ran thus:

"Mr. Winterblossom [of Silverhed] has the commands of Lady Penelope
Penfeather, Sir Bingo and Lady Binks, Mr. and Miss Mowbray [of St.
Ronan's], and the rest of the company at the Hotel and Tontine Inn
of St. Ronan's Well, to express their hope that the gentleman lodged
at the Cleikum Inn, Old Town of St. Ronan's, will favour them with
his company at the Ordinary, as early and as often as may suit his
convenience. The COMPANY think it necessary to send th