240 CULINARY REFLECTIONS. 



keeper) of the town, directed to prepare the viands ~the day arrived 

 the hour was near, and the Doctor, in expecting his guests, made 

 acute calculations of a solid and lengthened consumption of what 

 might remain of fragments from the feast. The clock struck the 

 guests had arrived, and the solemn impatience for refection was ge- 

 nerally exhibited, when John entered to announce dinner, and at the 

 same time the arrival of a vessel from Smyrna, in quarantine, having 

 Colonel F d on board (a gentleman equally and closely con- 

 nected with royalty, as with all that is graceful and gallant in his 

 profession) What was to be done ? With the Colonel, the Doctor 

 had unfortunately quarrelled previous to the former having left the 

 Island ; official civility might repair the breach, and it was of some 

 importance that reconciliation should occur. Placing his guests at 

 table, and promising to return in an instant, the Doctor took his way 

 to the Parlatorio, where the Colonel awaited him, and having ex- 

 hausted his politeness in greeting his arrival, ventured to suggest that 

 all former coolness might be discarded. " My dear sir, give me your 

 hand," exclaimed the officer, and the delighted physician, eagerly 

 offered the desired pledge of renewed friendship, unsuspicious of 

 any wicked design against his comfort or his banquet. The Doctor 

 had now subjected himself to quarantine. The other sworn officers 

 of the establishment dared not relax. An official and supplicatory 

 report was hastily made to the authorities enjoying themselves at his 

 own board, under his proper roof; but the law was clear and must 

 be obeyed. The necessary and distasteful orders were given ; and 

 while his guests poured a huge draughts of Rhenish down" in drink- 

 ing to the sanitary state of their host, he ruefully took his place by 

 the malicious Colonel, dinnerless and placeless, for his imprudence 

 could not be well overlooked, and he retired from his unpalatable 

 prison to cold quarters, and to the roughing it of a soldier's life, with 

 the dinner-bells for his amusement in his hours of leisure. 



ON BABBAGE'S CALCULATING MACHINE. 



Inventa est hoclie cum rairo machina sensu, 

 Expers est cerebri, computat ilia tamen ; 



Omnibus ab numerisque soluta, en dividit, addit, 

 Multiplicat, repetit, quadrat, opusque prubat 



Nusquam aluid caput ex ligno solertius exstat ; 

 Et verum in manibus, jam Xoy adS^M habes. 



