traced : The committee of the society of , in 



the state of , having determined to make up a course 



of weekly lectures to run through the ensuing season, send 

 applications to all persons whose names they imagine will 

 prove attractive to their subscribers. The real fitness of the 

 individuals by their talents, acquirements, or habits, to fulfil 

 the duty of a public instructor is little regarded. But the title 

 of the Honorable A. B., senator from the state of C. D., or, if 

 senators cannot be found, the Honorable E. F., member of the 

 house of representatives, is regarded as a qualification of the 

 first order. In any case an honorable is mcst important. 

 The selection being made, a missive in due form is despatched 

 by the president of the society, inviting the honorable legisla- 

 tor to deliver a lecture in the course of the ensuing season 



before the members of the society, on such subject as 



the honorable legislator may please to select. To this an an- 

 swer arrives in due time, graciously accepting the proffered 

 invitation, and informing the committee that the subject on 

 which the honorable legislator will descant for the edification t 



of the members of the society will, for example, be the 



life and character of Dr. Johnson. When the important even- 

 ing, in the fulness of time, arrives, the lecturer is ushered in 

 solemn form by the members of the committee to the pulpit, 

 where a decanter of water, a glass goblet, and a pair of wax 

 candles, are duly provided, and the members of the society 

 are entertained for an hour and one half with selections from 

 Boswell's Life of Johnson, in the formation of which the 

 use of the scissors bears an unconscionable ratio to that of 

 the pen. 



Such was the process by which courses of lectures were 

 usually got up. Now and then, however, these societies 

 would obtain the aid of one of those self-styled professors who 



