place when they were arrested by a crowd at the entrance. That crowd was
assembled round a pickpocket; and that pickpocket--O virtue, O wisdom,
O Asinaeum!--was Peter MacGrawler! We have before said that Clifford was
possessed of a good mien and an imposing manner, and these advantages
were at that time especially effectual in preserving our Orbilius from
the pump. No sooner did Clifford recognize the magisterial face of the
sapient Scot, than he boldly thrust himself into the middle of the crowd,
and collaring the enterprising citizen who had collared MacGrawler,
declared himself ready to vouch for the honesty of the very respectable
person whose identity had evidently been so grossly mistaken. Augustus,
probably foreseeing some ingenious ruse, of his companion, instantly
seconded the defence. The mob, who never descry any difference between
impudence and truth, gave way; a constable came up, took part with the
friend of two gentlemen so unexceptionally dressed; our friends walked
off; the crowd repented of their precipitation, and by way of amends
ducked the gentleman whose pockets had been picked. It was in vain for
him to defend himself, for he had an impediment in his speech; and
Messieurs the mob, having ducked him once for his guilt, ducked him a
second time for his embarrassment.

In the interim Clifford had withdrawn his quondam Mentor to the asylum of
a coffee-house; and while MacGrawler's soul expanded itself by wine, he
narrated the causes of his dilemma. It seems that that incomparable
journal "The Asinaeum," despite a series of most popular articles upon
the writings of "Aulus Prudentius," to which were added an exquisite
string of dialogues, written in a tone of broad humour, namely, broad
Scotch (with Scotchmen it is all the same thing), despite these
invaluable miscellanies, to say nothing of some glorious political
articles, in which it was clearly proved to the satisfaction of the rich,
that the less poor devils eat the better for their constitutions,--