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tude of all creeping things went down unto the great city of Bath.

5 And they forthwith sought out the wise man, who sojourned nigh unto the waters, for he was cunning in the learning of the Greeks and of the Romans.

6 Moreover he was skilled in herbs, for he was a physician of high renown.

7 And no man dared to drink of the waters of the warm springs, or go down into the hot pools, but as the wise man ordained.

8 And he waxed great, and his fame spread throughout the land, even from the city of warm waters unto the great city of the king, where dwelled William the Resuscitator, and John the Antipode.

9 Now William the Resuscitator, and John the Antipode, held close communion' with the wise man of Bath, for they loved one another.

10 And they said unto him, Seest thou not that we have taken unto ourselves help-mates, and have raised up seed unto our generation?

11 Moreover they said, These things are savoury and of good report among men, and pleasant to enjoy.

12 And they counselled the wise man to take unto himself an helpmate of the daughters of Bath; and to cleave unto her, and to be as one flesh, and to feel inexpressibles, which surpass the understanding of him who lacketh an helpmate.

13 But the wise man hearkened not unto William the Resuscitator and John the Antipode.

14 But hardened his heart, and would not that any man should counsel him. Nay, he scoffed, and in the hardness of his heart, reviling said,

15 What meaneth these inexpressibles? Are they not the bitters of Cornubia, that run through the land of Hymen.

16 Nevertheless the wise man had yearnings in his bowels towards an helpmate: howbeit his strength failed him.

17 Overpowered with this conflict, he fell into a deep sleep; and in the midst of the night, even at the twelfth hour, a vision overshadowed him.

18 Aud he heard a voice, crying, Father, Father, wherefore am I not a ruler in the land? And he heard a second voice, saying, Father, Father, wherefore am I not the helpmate of a centurion?

19 And the Seer marvelled, and wot not what manner of vision he saw; and he cried, What meaneth this which I behold?

20 And the vision said, I am Dinah thy first beloved; and the voice thou heard, Why am I not a ruler in the land? this would have been thy first-born; he would have been cunning in the law, and a ruler in the land.

21 And the second voice thou heard, would have been thy second-born, comely to look upon; and a centurion in the legions of the great king would have betrothed her, and cleaved unto her, and raised up seed unto his generation.

22 And Dinah, whom thou now seest, would have been the stock of many children. The seed of thy generation would have been great, yea, like the sands of the sea, would have been multiplied; and, like the stars of the firmament, would they have shone; and many inexpressibles would have been thy portion.

23 Now the voices thou hast heard, are they not the voices of unborn babes? The babes that were to have sprung from thy loins?

24 And the Seer straitway awoke from the vision; and his heart palpitated, and his tongue cleaved unto his mouth.

25 Howbeit, when he saw it had been but a vision, his tongue got utterance, and he raised his voice, saying,

26 How long have I scorned the counsel of William the Resuscitator and John the Antipode, the friends of my bosom; and his heart waxed soft.

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27 And he yearned for an helpmate, that he might raise seed unto his generation, and know all inexpressible things.

28 And when his friends, who dwelled in the great city of the king, heard these tidings, they rejoiced together, marvelling what manner of vision this was.

30 And the great men of Bath, and the maimed, and the scurvied, and the palsied, and all the creeping things thereof; and the daughters of the

city, and all those that dwell round about in the country, rejoiced exceedingly.

31 Saying, Amen, Amen, May his seed spring up as the willows near the waters of the valley, and wax strong, like the cedars of Lebanon: and may the seed of his loins endure from generation unto generation.

32 And William the Resuscitator and John the Antipode cried, Amen, Amen.

J. C. LETTSOM.

LETTER CCXXXVII.

Dr. A. FOTHERGILL to Dr. LETTSOM.

Dear Sir,

Feb. 8, 1791.

Accept my thanks for the tender impassioned verses written on a very affecting occasion. Bereft of such a truly amiable helpmate, I do not wonder that the lonely mourner's whole soul melted with such tender sympathetic strains-Sunt Lachrymæ rerum, et mentem mortalia tangunt. Such a scene is enough to soften bachelors, as well as married men. It was probably such a scene that drew "iron tears" down Pluto's cheeks. Pluto, however, poor devil, was married, but knew better than to sob and cry on account of any disaster that might befal his own wife. For she probably was complete mistress of the whining and canting art,

and knew how to drop crocodile tears at command, as well as any modern dame in Great Britain. No, no, Pluto reserved his iron tears for more important occasions. He knew to his cost that his own dear infernal rib was immortal, and this doubtless was the true cause why Pluto wept, as well he might, in the bitterness of his soul; and this helps me to explain why he let fall no common tears-but tears of iron-tears worthy so hard, so cruel a case! This, I hope, you will agree with me, is the true explanation of this knotty passage, which none of our commentators have hitherto been able to elucidate, but which now you see is as plain as a man's nose on his face-Q. E. D. Believe me, I have been much edified by that inspired writer, John the Antipode, and long exceedingly for the divine Dinah, that Phoenix of the sex, whom he hath pourtrayed in such fascinating colours. But does such a nymph really exist, and is she come-at-able? or is she not a creature of his imagination-a heathenish Venussprung from the froth of the sea? If so, a man may pursue a Juno, and, like Ixion of old, embrace a cloud. If, on the other hand, this female paragon exists and breathes, and is tangible, gentle, and tractable, pray send her to me by the first stage-coach that passes through Bath; and if I find her willing, and in all respects answerable to what the prophecy has foretold, I shall pray for the health and happiness of John the Antipode as long as I live; and if I should unfortunately

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