Salmagundi; or, The whim-whams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq. [pseud.] and others. By William Irving, James Kirke Paulding and Washington Irving. Printed from the original ed., with a preface and notes by Evert A. Duyckinck.

THE BASHAW. 143
reigning bashaw, who receives them graciously, puts them into
his red breeches pocket, forgets to read them-and so the matter ends.
As to his highness, the present bashaw, who is at the very
top of the logocracy, never was a dignitary better qualified for
his station. He is a man of superlative ventosity, and comparable to nothing but a huge bladder of wind. He talks of vanquishing all opposition by the force of reason and philosophy:
throws his gauntlet at all the nations of the earth, and defies
them to meet him-on the field of argument! Is the national
dignity insulted, a case in which his highness of Tripoli would
immediately call forth his forces,-the bashaw of Americautters a speech. Does a foreign invader molest the commerce
in the very mouth of the harbors, an insult which would induce
his highness of Tripoli to order out his fleets,-his highness of
America-utters a speech. Are the free citizens of America
dragged from on board the vessels of their country, and forcibly detained in the war ships of another-his highness utters
a speech. Is a peaceable citizen killed by the marauders of a
foreign power, on the very shores of his country-his highness
utters a speech. Does an alarming insurrection break out in a
distant part of the empire-his highness utters a speech!nay, more, for here he shows his "energies:"-he most intrepidly dispatches a courier on horseback, and orders him to ride
one hundred and twenty miles a day, with a most formidable
army of proclamations, i. e. a collection of words, packed up in
his saddle-bags. He is instructed to show no favor nor affection; but to charge the thickest ranks of the enemy, and to
speechify and batter by words the conspiracy and the conspirators out of existence. Heavens, my friend, what a deal of
blustering is here! It reminds me of a dunghill cock in a farm