heard them wrangling, and spread the news through all the place; every one, henceforth, found a readymade stock of merriment, on which he could afford to be witty at a small expence; and the Parson, the 'Squire, the Captain, and the Senator were an Owl, and a Bear, and a Monkey, and an Ass to their dying day.

Christian Reader, I beseech Thee to have bowels of mercy and compassion on thyself, and if thou findest thine own likeness in an Owl, a Bear, a Monkey, or an Ass, keep thine own counsel, for if thou holdest thy peace, there are so many Asses, Monkeys, Bears, and Owls in this good world of our's, that Thou mightest pass unnoticed among: the rest.

But wherefore this tale of a painter; what end is this to serve? I expected a preface, and am put off with a story of a Cock and a Bull.-Fair and softly, my dear fellow, have a little patience, and I will make this matter clear to thine apprehension. It cannot be unknown to thee how divers and sun

dry people have been very angry with me on ace count of some characters described in many parts of the Adviser.-Yea, verily, how certain Essays have been cancelled in a certain volume of that nefarious work.

It will hardly be credited by sober and discreet people, that any one could be found, who would be willing to exclude all mankind from censure,. and monopolize deformity to himself. That ought savouring of humanity would insist upon fixing on itself the brand of ridicule and contempt. Yet true it is, gentle reader, that such unhappy beings exist,

""Tis true 'tis pity, pity 'tis 'tis true."

In my travels through the northern part of Krim Tartary I chanced to meet with some very absurd and reprehensible characters, whose portraits I imimediately whipped down into my Port-feuille, and when I came to England, published in the Adviser, for the edification and amusement of my countrymen.

These characters, which exactly delineated the manners of Northern Barbarians, and of uncultured Savages, some very sagacious and profound people, in a certain district of this kingdom that shall be nameless, applied to themselves; and forthwith, went flying all abroad through the neighbourhood, clamouring loudly and vehemently that they were shamefully libelled.

One gentleman immediately issued out of his house, Adviser in hand, and traversed through byepaths and dirty lanes, 'till he met a neighbour, whom he hailed with, "See, see what a rascal this author is! look, look! do you see nothing?" "Nothing but an Owl," answered his neighbour, poring over the book." That is me," replied the enraged wight, "that is me; I am that very

Owl."

"Hark ye!" said his neighbour, "give me the book; here, do you see this?"" Yes, I behold a Bear,"-" And that Bear is myself," rejoined the borrower of the book; "that Bear is

myself; but I'll be revenged on the dirty scribe bler." Saying which he trotted, and the Ol flitted onward, 'till they met another acquaintance, to whom they imparted their grievances.-The third gentleman, then, swore many a Christian oath, how he would do, the Author's business."I'll be damned," (said he) "if I am not that there Monkey; and sink me, if I do not slit the Adviser's ears for telling it to all the world; whiz, dammee!!"

While they were thus consoling each other. up came a fourth gentleman, who, upon hearing what they were about, joined in the cry, and desired them to look into such a page of the book, They did so; and, when asked what they saw, replied an Ass." Well, and is not the Author a scurrilous, infamous villain; cannot you all see whom the rascally scribbler means?" "No, no, no," was echoed from all their mouths." Why me, to be sure, he means me."-"What! are you an Ass then?"-" Yes, I am an Ass.”

Having now convinced all the neighbourhood, as well as themselves, that the Author of the Adviser had not written down Ass, Monkey, Bear, and Owl for nothing, and at random, they proceeded to write letters to all their acquaintance, in different parts of the kingdom, setting forth how scurvily they had been used-When, lo' and behold! to their utter astonishment, they received for answer, that these very acquaintances had also laid claim to the Owl, Bear, Monkey, and Ass, and wondered how any one could be so blind as not to see that the book was meant to libel there, and nobody else..

Notwithstanding, however, that other wise acres, besides themselves, insisted upon being Owls, Bears, Monkeys, and Asses, these good peor ple chose rather to continue their imprecations upon the Author of the Adviser, than to own themselves in an error; and, actually, persisted, by every exertion in their power, to blow their own infatuated ideocy and doting decrepitude into public notoriety and universal contempt.