M

Y friend presented me to the company, in

what he thought the most obliging manner; but which I confess put me a little out of countenance. 'Give me leave, gentlemen,' said he, 'to 'present to you my old friend, Mr. Fitz-Adam, the ' ingenious author of the World.' The word Author instantly excited the attention of the whole company, and drew all their eyes upon me: for people who are not apt to write themselves have a strange curiosity to see a Live Author. The gentlemen received me in common with those gestures that intimate welcome; and I on my part respectfully muttered some of those

nothings,

N old friend and fellow-student of mine at the

AN

university called upon me the other morning, and found me reading Plato's Symposion. I laid down my book to receive him; which, after the first usual compliments, he took up, saying 'You will

I give me leave to see what was the object of your 'studies.' Nothing less than the divine Plato,' said I, that amiable philosopher'-'With whom,' interrupted my friend, 'Cicero declares, that he would

rather be in the wrong, than in the right with any ' other.'-' I cannot,' replied I, 'carry my veneration for him to that degree of enthusiasm; but yet, 'wherever I understand him (for I confess I do not ' everywhere),

' everywhere), I prefer him to all the ancient philosophers. His Symposion more particularly engages ' and entertains me, as I see there the manners and 'characters of the most eminent men, of the politest ' times of the politest city of Greece. And, with all 'due respect to the moderns, I much question whether an account of a modern Symposion, though written

by the ablest hand, could be read with so much 'pleasure and improvement.'-'I do not know that,' replied my friend; for though I revere the ancients

as much as you possibly can, and look upon the 'moderns as pigmies when compared to those giants, ' yet if we come up to, or near them in anything, it is in the elegancy and delicacy of our convivial 'intercourse.'

I was the more surprised at this doubt of my friend's, because I knew that he implicitly subscribed to, and superstitiously maintained, all the articles of the classical faith. I therefore asked him whether he was serious? He answered me that he was: that in his mind, Plato spun out that silly affair of love too fine and too long; and that if I would but let him introduce me to the club, of which he was an unworthy member, he believed I should at least entertain the same doubt, or perhaps even decide in favour

of

of the moderns. I thanked my friend for his kindness, but added, that in whatever society he was an unworthy member, I should be a still more unworthy guest. That moreover my retired and domestic turn of life was as inconsistent with the engagements of a club, as my natural taciturnity amongst strangers would be misplaced in the midst of all that festal mirth and gaiety. You mistake me,' answered my friend, every member of our club has the privilege of

◄ bringing one friend along with him, who is by no means thereby to become a member of it; and as for your taciturnity, we have some silent members,

6

who, by the way, are none of our worst. Silent 'people never spoil company; but, on the contrary, by being good hearers, encourage good speakers.' -But I have another difficulty,' answered I, and 'that I doubt a very solid one; which is, that I ' drink nothing but water.'-'So much the worse for 'you,' replied my friend, who, by the by, loves his bottle most academically; you will pay for the claret 'you do not drink. We use no compulsion; every 'one drinks as little as he pleases.'-' Which I presume,' interrupted I, 'is as much as he can.'

That is just as it happens,' said he; sometimes, it

is true, we make pretty good sittings; but for my

" own

' own part, I choose to go home always before 'eleven: for, take my word for it, it is the sitting

up late, and not the drink, that destroys the consti'tution.' As I found that my friend would have taken a refusal ill, I told him, that for this once I would certainly attend him to the club; but desired him to give me previously the outlines of the characters of the sitting members, that I might know how to behave myself properly. Your precaution,' said he, is a prudent one, and I will make you so well acquainted with them beforehand that you shall not seem a stranger when among them. You must 'know, then, that our club consists of at least forty 'members when complete. Of these, many are now ' in the country; and besides, we have some vacancies ' which cannot be filled up till next winter. Palsies 'and apoplexies have of late, I don't know why, been 'pretty rife among us, and carried off a good many. 'It is not above a week ago that poor Tom Toastwell fell on a sudden under the table, as we thought

only a little in drink, but he was carried home, and

never spoke more. Those whom you will probably 'meet with to-day are, first of all, Lord Feeble, a 'nobleman of admirable sense, a true fine gentleman, ' and for a man of quality, a pretty classic.

He has

• lived