AND PORTO SANTO. ^ 



island, and that he told them confidently when he quitted it, that 

 this stone, powdered, and swallowed in wine, was an excellent 

 remedy for the gout. 



My friend the Genoese excelled, not only in slight-of-hand tricks, 

 of which he possessed a rich variety, but in several other kinds, 

 which were preceded by more or less pantomime. He generally 

 displayed his science after the round game (which never inter- 

 rupted the conversation of the parties) was over. After several 

 capital tricks with cards, he generally announced another of a 

 different nature, by declaring, that it would be necessary for every 

 gentleman in company, the governor excepted, to stand up and 

 go through the various attitudes which he must exhibit seriatim, 

 in order to succeed in the exploit with which he would have the 

 honovu- to astonish them : and, beginning with some of the less 

 ridiculous, such as standing on one leg and scratching liis elevated 

 chin, which every one rose from his chair in turn and repeated, 

 he led them through a series of postures, inconceivably ridicvdous 

 in themselves, but exceeding even his own warmest expectations 

 in effect, when imitated by their unwieldy figures cind clumsy 

 movements. Some unfortunate serjeant, recently elevated to the 

 rank and the society appended to it, and possessing all the due 

 humility of a younger member, was generally the victim of the 

 ingenuity of the Genoese, who excited a shout of laughter amongst 

 the elder superiors, when in one of the movements he exchanged 

 hats with his labouring imitator, rubbing the crown of that he 

 had just received violently all over his face, as he whirled round, 

 in which he was follo^^'ed with double earnestness by the other, 

 who, by the artful preparation of the owner of the hat, was all the 

 while unconsciously blacking his own face. Some brilhant decep- 

 tion, however, immediately followed, as if it were the suite of tlie 

 plot, and the sufferer was compelled to admire and smile. On 



O 



