man of his time. He gave you the doctrine of particles, and smelt you an Iambic amid an acre of misprinted prose. Stern would be his frown at the unhappy miscreant who would pronounce a short penultimate long, or vice versa. If you put an anapæst in the fourth seat, he would thunder forth in indignation. A theologian was preaching to him one day on the interpretation of one of those passages of Scripture on which we generally place some of our most sanguine hopes of future redemption. "What think

ye," said the preacher," of this sublime text, that opens the kingdom of heaven to all believers."- "I think," said Hoparros, "that the first aorist used in that particular phrase should be rather a second aorist, as we see in the corresponding passage of Xenophon," which he immediately quoted.

Hoparros spoke and wrote a Babylonish dialect, in which his vernacular language was slashed with Greek. He'd call to a waiter at a tavern-" Bring me, you dog, a rasher of pork, vel TI TOIOUTO." When demolishing his fifth egg at breakfast, he would say, it put him in mind of the mundane egg of the cosmogonists, and quote the lines of Aristophanes on that subject. When he wrote a book about Signor Volpone, a great statesman, who died about these times, he quoted fourteen hundred authors to prove that man was mortal. All this made every body think Hoparros was a great man, and he himself was particularly convinced of the truth of this assertion. He accordingly gabbled more Greek, wrote more polyglot, and put on a wig. His wig was as big as that which Colley Cibber wore in Lord Foppington, when it was brought on the stage in a sedan chair between two porters. The doctor was proud of this wig, for he said that it made him look like the favourite bird of Minerva. Other people laughed at it, in particular one Forgeron, who, though a priest, had turned jack-pudding in the northcountry, and was arlechino-primo to Giallazurit company. Hoparros only smiled, and quoted Epictetus's opinion on the propriety of despising things not in our power.

The Doctor had taken part with the unshirted, because he thought the Greeks, every institution of whom he

*Or some such thing.

used to say was pluperfect, were of the same way of thinking; and he sung the song of Harmodius and Aristogiton, in which he made three emendations, two for the sake of the metre, one for the sense, which he thereby spoiled, according to the custom of critics. He soon inoculated Geraldi with the same opinions, and when the young man emerged from the cloisters of a college to the bustle of real life, he speedily outran his master. The Doctor only wished to smoke, quote Greek, and repine at misgovernment in quiet. Geraldi wished to put an end to misgovernment by the most summary proceeding. He joined the chief clubs in Florence of people of the same principles, and made speeches which carried conviction among all those who agreed with him. A fancy seized them of pulling off their breeches, and Geraldi accordingly pulled off his. Now, for a reason which I pretend not to explain, the aristocracy of Florence were most particularly nettled at this unbreeching, and determined to make a stand against it. Accordingly, to work they went, and soon proved that they were the strongest power after all, in spite of all the speeches against their feebleness and want of efficacy. They passed a decree of the senate, by which it was ordained, that every man found about the street unbreeched, should be banished the state, as a most pestilent member. As might be foreseen, there were loud clamours against this act of tyranny. Public meetings were called and well attended, in which it was magnanimously resolved to die sooner than wear breeches. Geraldi was very busy in all these, and, by his eloquence and energy, made many converts to the

cause.

"This well never do," said the primesenator, we must pull them up.' What," said another, "the breeches?" "No," replied the first, "but the conspirators; pull them up before the judge, and he shall tickle them according to the Pandects of Justinian." This was one of those prophecies which never fail of being fulfilled. Accordingly they were seized, and Geraldi among the rest. The judge took his seat, and frowned wickedly. In those days it was no joke to be tried before a chiefjudge. Witnesses proved that they saw Geraldi unbreeched, and heard him

Yellow and blue.

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speak in defence of the general principle. Others swore that, to the best of their belief, he wrote long letters to other unbreeched clubs over the water, and was strongly suspected of having composed an ode in ridicule of kneebuckles. At this fact, the chief-judge cried ha! and looked round the court. Every body saw that it was all over with our poor hero. The forms of the court, however, required that he should be called on to say something in his defence, and accordingly he was told to begin. His eye was kindled with fire, and he evidently looked on himself as a person entrusted with the protection of the most glorious principles in the world. "My lord," said he, clearing his throat; the court was mute in attention: you could hear a pin drop. "Silence," said the crier. My lord," continued Geraldi, "I am here to be tried to-day for doing that which, whatever may be the issue of this trial, I shall regard as the most honourable action of my life. I have stood up for the bare truth; I have bowed to the naked majesty of reason; I have stripped off the coverings of sophistry and imposture and for that am I here. I have remounted to the principles of things, and casting off the habits of this shallow generation, gone back to the customs of my ancestors. I am accused of introducing novelties--of being a proselyte and preacher of the new philosophy. How much do they err who make this accusation. If remotest antiquity be novelty—if genuine simplicity be adulteration, then do I plead guilty, but not till then. Go back to the days of Adam, when he and his consort Eve, in naked majesty, seemed lords of all. Who then heard of breeches? Did the father of mankind on awaking in his couch of flowers, fanned by the whispers of melting winds, roused by the dulcet fall of murmuring streams, call lustily to a valet-de-chambre to bring him what, even in the present degraded and depraved times, are significantly designated as inexpressibles? Impossible! Shades of the heroes and patriarchs of old, look down from your empyreal thrones on which you are seated, without the disguise of this disgraceful garb,

and refute these audacious men, who declare that the practices which you, the glories of the olden time, followed without exception, are mere trifling novelties. But, even if they were, I ap peal to the eternal dictates of truth and reason. Great and glorious goddesses, do you not dictate the necessity of every man being his own dresser? Shall the liberty of the subject be invaded in this point, on which are bottomed our dearest hopes? Shall we be tied up in bonds and shackles? Waistbands and knee-strings avaunt! To them I shall not bend my free untamed spirit. I protest against them-I denounce them -I abominate them-I abhor them. Bring forth your racks-destine me to your torments, I am prepared for all! And you wicked men who sit in judgment on me," &c. &c.

I have not time to say over again, all that Geraldi said. He spoke of the breaches of the constitution, and declared that he would mend them. His oration was a model of eloquence. All Florence, both those who were pro and con, declared that the days of Demosthenes and Cicero were again revived; and when he concluded by the fine apostrophe from one of their own poets, il Dottore Smelfungo,

* Thy spirit, independence, let me share, Lord of the lion heart and eagle eye; Thy steps I follow with my bottom bare, Nor heed the blasts that howl along the sky.

He

An unanimous burst of applause followed, which lasted for several minutes, and called forth the stern remonstrances of the judge, who proceeded at once to deliver the sentence of the court. entered into a history of breeches from the first establishment of civilized society-shewed how important they were to the seat of government-descanted on the villany of their opponents—and concluded by addressing the prisoner in a stern tone. "Allez vous en, mon ami," said he, "andate al diavolo."+ With which solemn words he concluded his oration.

These were the technical phrases at that time used in the Florentine law, for sending a man into banishment.

Accordingly, Geraldi was sent on his travels for his country's good. Great was the indignation among the breechesless. Hoparros sputtered in Attic phrase.* Du! Qu! said he, for few indeed are the righteous now-a-days, and quoted Euripides to the same effect. Others called a meeting of Geraldi's friends, to take into consideration the necessity of subscribing something towards making his exile comfortable-for, at that time, you must know, that the great majority of those who were against wearing breeches, including Geraldi, certainly had no pockets therein to stow away purses. The Doctor attended, and spoke of Aristides, until every one in the room sympathized with the indignation of the Athenian, who gave his vote for the banishment of that great man, in consequence of being bored with so often hearing of his i name. A subscription was entered into, and it amounted to I do not know how many ducats..

Now in those days, among that party, was a very active avocato, of the name of Jacopo, a Savoyard. The air of the mountains, and, indeed, of the north in general, is so keen, that it notoriously sharpens the wits of the inhabitants of such regions. It so happens, also, that brains is a more common commodity there than beef, and, accordingly, the men of the north long have been in the habit of descending into the fat regions of the south, where they feed upon their neighbours. Jacopo walked as usual, southward, with his shoes slung over his shoulder; and as he had never been used to breeches-wearing in his own country, it is only natural that he joined the breechesless party. Accordingly he wrote long books about it, against the most strenuous partizan of the aristocracy, and it gained him much praise, and a little pudding. Moreover, he speeched, and speeched as became an advocate without a brief. When he got briefs, as happened long after the times of which I am speaking, he left off speeches when they brought him nothing, cushioned his book, and cut the patriots.

But, at the date of this our veridical history, he was ardent for Geraldi, and his words, as the saying is, won goldfor he was made the treasurer on the occasion.

It may be asked, how being made treasurer to a voluntary subscription could win gold? Have you ever heard the story of the highlander who sued for promotion?. "Why, Duncan," said his officer, "you know you can neither read nor write, and though willing to promote you, that puts it out of my power." Put, your honour," said the mountaineer, "coot make her nainsell a lance-corporal."-"That, to be sure, I could do," replied the captain, “but there is no extra pay for that rank, and there is extra duty." The highlander, however, told him he had his reasons for wishing it, and was promoted accordingly. From being one of the dirtiest soldiers in the regiment, he became the cleanest. His wife was better decked out than before-and a considerable amelioration appeared to have taken place in his finances. The officer was amazed—and enquired how this could be done without increase of pay. "Na, sir," said Duncan, tere is na pay, but tere's parquisits." What a lance-corporal's perquisites are, I shall not inform the reader, it being no part of my story.+

So, though there is no pay in being treasurer to a charity-subscription, there are perquisites. Money was, of course, sent to Geraldi, and he received it with gratitude: but human blessings are never without some proportion of pain. There is always a little bitter in the sweetest cup. On looking over the list of those who had come forward in his behalf, he did not see the name of his old tutor, the Grecian Doctor. Geraldi had a great talent, and a great inclination for writing letters; and, accordingly, he sat down and composed the following epistle from the island in which he was confined, to a friend in Florence. It will not take more than twenty columns, and therefore I shall copy it.

DEAR FRIEND,

But, on second thoughts, I shall not copy it. It would be taking a paltry advantage over my readers. Suffice it then to say, that in this letter he spoke, much of the ingratitude of the human race of the sad fact, that when a man is out of sight he is out of mind-and many other novel and original reflections of the same nature. The circumstance of the neglect of Hoparrós-the Doctor, from whose os rotundum he had imbibed the first lessons of freedomhe said, chagrined him more than the recollections of all his other friends, gilded as they were by the ducats. There never yet was an ill story of a man extant, that did not come to his ears through the agency of a d-d goodnatured friend, and the contents of this letter were soon communicated to the Doctor. He twisted the back of his wig to the front, and as hastily, through fear of suffocation, twisted it back again. *"TI TOUTO," said he, "væ misero mihi, what do I hear? What does the man mean? Here am I, the poorest abate in Florence, on a salary of sixty ducats a

66

year, out of which I have subscribed thirty-nov wavros,t as Hesiod says. I shall not rest under the imputation. I shall have it all explained, ut par est,‡ and he took a pinch of snuff.

Of course Hoparros set about the explanation with all the efforts of his power, and wrote a ream of paper in a hand illegible to mortal man. He dived and inquired, and delved, and fidgetted, and at last a meeting of the subscribers to Geraldi was called... Of course the first thing they did was to overhaul the accounts of the treasurer, when there was found a

糖

*

Hiatus in MSS.

*We have in vain endeavoured to come at the conclusion of this highly interesting Florentine tale. It appears to throw a light on some of the transactions of that great state, during the middle ages. We publish so much as the above, in the hopes that some able Italian scholar-some writer of history-will endeavour to complete it.

+ Half of the whole.

As is right.