The practice, quite common among rustic gentlemen, of visiting the city
for the purpose of beholding the "elephant," doubtless suggested to the
late Sir THOMAS BROWNE the following advice which he gave his son, who
was about entering upon his studies in the department of Natural
History:

"When you see the elephant, observe whether he bendeth his knees before
and behind forward differently from other quadrupeds, as Aristotle
observeth; and whether his belly be the softest and smoothest part."

It is possible that some elephants have a habit of bending at the
knee-joints differently from others. Indeed, this reflection is more
than likely when we consider how many elephants there are, and upon what
evil doings many of them are bent, but it is not so evident that a
neophyte in this branch of knowledge could derive any benefit from
following Sir THOMAS'S injunctions. PUNCHINELLO begs leave to substitute
for the above, some advice which he thinks would produce a vastly more
salutary effect, and that to keep away from elephants altogether. Men of
experience will bear out our assertion, that the much talked of "horns
of a dilemma" are nothing to the tusks of an elephant; for it is
possible for a person to hang upon the aforesaid "horns" without fatal
results, but the party who is impaled upon the tusks of an elephant is
generally ever after indifferent to the opinions of mankind.

* * * * *

CRITICAL.

"Where do you intend to Summer?" asked JOWLER of GROWLER, one day in the
"heated term."