again restored to the community. But unluckily a rival power arose. An
opulent oilman died, and left a widow with a large jointure and a family
of buxom daughters. The young ladies had long been repining in secret
at the parsimony of a prudent father, which kept down all their elegant
aspirings. Their ambition, being now no longer restrained, broke out
into a blaze, and they openly took the field against the family of the
butcher. It is true that the Lambs, having had the first start, had
naturally an advantage of them in the fashionable career. They could
speak a little bad French, play the piano, dance quadrilles, and had
formed high acquaintances; but the Trotters were not to be distanced.
When the Lambs appeared with two feathers in their hats, the Miss
Trotters mounted four, and of twice as fine colors. If the Lambs gave
a dance, the Trotters were sure not to be behindhand: and though they
might not boast of as good company, yet they had double the number, and
were twice as merry.

The whole community has at length divided itself into fashionable
factions, under the banners of these two families. The old games of
Pope-Joan and Tom-come-tickle-me are entirely discarded; there is no
such thing as getting up an honest country dance; and on my attempting
to kiss a young lady under the mistletoe last Christmas, I was
indignantly repulsed; the Miss Lambs having pronounced it "shocking
vulgar." Bitter rivalry has also broken out as to the most fashionable
part of Little Britain; the Lambs standing up for the dignity of
the Cross-Keys Square, and the Trotters for the vicinity of St.
Bartholomew's.

Thus is this little territory torn by factions and internal dissensions,
like the great empire who name it bears; and what will be the result
would puzzle the apothecary himself, with all his talent at prognostics,