158 SPECULATIVE FANCIES. 



shall venture to imagine the astounding marvels on which his 

 eyes would open at the beginning of the twentieth ? Marvels, 

 vastly curious and amusing in the speculative distance, but of 

 which the close reality might be attended by various sensations 

 something less agreeable. The old-fashioned courtier would 

 feel awkward enough in the position we have just supposed 

 amongst his modern brethren of the suite; but how infinitely 

 more so one of these latter under circumstances wherein the 

 lapse of another half-century might place him, when called on, 

 perhaps, to attend his sovereign if sovereigns there be, or if 

 sovereigns then have lords in waiting in a state balloon ! 



Still worse might it fare with the present great heads of 

 law, physic, and divinity, who, on re-opening their eyes in the 

 year 1900, might each, peradventure, find his "occupation 

 gone '' -the lawyer, in the march of Christianity ; the doctor, 

 in the march of mesmerism ; the church dignitary, in the 

 inarch of simple gospel truth. 



But disagreeables like these would be but trifles compared 

 with the serious perils to which a life-spinner, such as we have 

 pictured, would be exposed during his state of voluntary torpor. 

 To preserve him from accidents by flood, fire, and steel, he 

 might prepare himself, beforehand, a temporary tomb of refuge, 

 wherein he might depend, possibly, on being well secured. 

 But who could he rely on to revoke his soporific spell at the 

 end of its desired period ? Hardly the heirs of his property, 

 or its stewards ; or even, if, on composing himself for his pur- 



