"mercantile Mecaenas" that he does not know how to write; who replies
that "he never had for a moment supposed that so sublime a savage could
possess such a vulgar accomplishment, and that it was by no means
difficult for a man to publish his travels without writing a line." This
is a stale affair; but Popanilla's drinking a dozen of the bookseller's
wine smacks more of novelty. His voyage is published, and contains a
detailed account of every thing which took place during the whole of the
three days, forming a quarto volume! Then we have a shower of squibs on
_converzazioni_--as dukes imbibing a new theory of gas, a prime-minister
studying pinmaking, a bishop the escapements of watches, a field-marshal
intent on essence of hellebore. "But what most delighted Popanilla was
hearing a lecture from the most eminent lawyer and statesman in
Vraibleusia, on his first and favourite study of hydrostatics. His
associations quite overcame him; all Fantaisie rushed upon his memory,
and he was obliged to retire to a less frequented part of the room,
to relieve his too excited feelings." The hostess too declares it
"impossible for mankind ever to be happy and great, until, like
herself and her friends," her company are "all soul!"

Popanilla is now constituted ambassador from Fantaisie, and goes through
all the courtly scenes of diplomacy, for which we have not room; but
their gist will be readily understood among the stars of St. James's,
especially the authors allusions to Navarino and the late ministry,
which are in good set terms. The "Aboriginal," too, tells Popanilla
"some long stories about a person who was chief manager, about five
hundred years ago, to whom he said he was indebted for all his political
principles."

During Popanilla's sight-seeing career, he, of course, visits our
theatres, and a tolerably broad caricature he gives of them. "To sit in