(_From Sir R. Phillips's Tour_.)


At Luton, Beds. Sir Richard hears of an ALCHEMIST, who lives at the
village of Lilley, midway between Luton and Hitchen. The whole of his
interview with this eccentric personage, will doubtless be interesting to
our readers.

It was four miles out of my road, but I thought a modern alchemist worthy
of a visit, particularly as several inhabitants of Luton gravely assured
me, that he had succeeded in discovering the Philosopher's Stone, and
also the Universal Solvent. The reports about him would have rendered it
culpable not to have hazarded anything for a personal interview. I learnt
that he had been a man of fashion, and at one time largely concerned in
adventures on the turf, but that for many years he had devoted himself to
his present pursuits; while for some time past, he had been inaccessible
and invisible to the world, the house being shut and barricadoed, and the
walls of his grounds protected by hurdles, with spring-guns so planted as
to resist intrusion in every direction. Under these circumstances, I had
no encouragement to go to Lilley, but I thought that even the external
inspection of such premises would repay me for the trouble. At Lilley,
I inquired for his house of various people, and they looked ominous; some
smiled, others shook their heads, and all appeared surprised at the
approach of an apparent visiter to Mr. Kellerman.

The appearance of the premises did not belie vulgar report. I could not
help shuddering at seeing the high walls of respectable premises, lined
at the top with double tiers of hurdles, and on driving my chaise to the
front of the house, I perceived the whole in a state of horrid
dilapidation. Contrary, however, to my expectation, I found a young man