BEDICATIOX. VU 



which you exercise the privilege of circum- 

 locution in your questions, while you confine 

 the poor witness to the bare response of 

 " Yes or No." 



The court is, indeed, sometimes so un- 

 mindful of decorum as to laugh at an un- 

 expected retort thrust in " Vi et armis," 

 and in defiance of the fortifications in which 

 you are intrenched. Thanks to a just sense 

 of propriety, I have never so far fi^rgotten 

 myself as to join in any such irreverent 

 exultation. The gravity and dread dignity 

 attached to your Paraphernalia, have ever 

 protected 3"ou in my consideration against 

 such irruptions of coarse jocularity. 



Some, perhaps, will accuse me of having 

 Jiattered you in the foregoing observations, 

 and may suspect that I am a candidate for 

 the honour of being admitted to 3^our con- 

 vivial parties, and of joining you in your 

 first and favourite toast, " tlie glorious iincer- 

 taintif of the l<xw,"^ But I spurn such 



* The custom of drinking toasts is of great antiquity. The 

 Romans usually drank nine cups to the Muses, and three to 

 the Graces ; whence arose these verses of Ausonius : 



" Ter bibe, vel toties ternos sic mj^stica Lex est, 

 " Vel tria potanti, vel tiia muitiplicaiiti." 



As the Muses and the Graces so evideiU.li/ divide their favours 

 among the Members of the Long Kobe, that it is difficult to 



