I enjoyed myself very much lookin at the Egyptian mummays, the
Greek vasis, etc, but it occurd to me there was rayther too many
"Roman antiquitys of a uncertin date." Now, I like the British
Mooseum, as I said afore, but when I see a lot of erthen jugs and
pots stuck up on shelves, and all "of a uncertin date," I'm at a
loss to 'zackly determin whether they are a thousand years old or
was bought recent. I can cry like a child over a jug one
thousand years of age, especially if it is a Roman jug; but a jug
of a uncertin date doesn't overwhelm me with emotions. Jugs and
pots of a uncertin age is doubtles vallyable property, but, like
the debentures of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, a man
doesn't want too many of them.

I was debarred out of the great readin-room. A man told me I
must apply by letter for admission, and that I must get somebody
to testify that I was respectable. I'm a little 'fraid I
shan't get in there. Seein a elderly gentleman, with a
beneverlent-lookin face near by, I venturd to ask him if he would
certifythat I was respectable. He said he certainly would not,
but he would put me in charge of a policeman, if that would do me
any good. A thought struck me. "I refer you to 'Mr. Punch'," I
said.

"Well," said a man, who had listened to my application, "you HAVE
done it now! You stood some chance before."

I will get this infamus wretch's name before you go to press, so
you can denounce him in the present number of your excellent
journal.