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.

GOOD HUMOR. 273
True it is, I understand, an attempt was made to exhibit it by
some of the sable fair ones at the last African ball, but it was
highly disapproved of by all the respectable elderly ladies
present.
These are sweet sources of comfort to atone for the many
wrongs and misrepresentations heaped upon us by the worldfor cvcn we have experienced its ill-nature. How often have we
heard ourselves reproached for the insidious applications of the
uncharitable!-how often have we been accused of emotions
which never found an entrance into our bosoms! —how often
have our sportive effusions been wrested to serve the purposes
of particular enmity and bitterness! Meddlesome spirits!
little do they know our disposition; we "lack gall" to wound
the feelings of a single innocent individual; we can even forgive
them from the very bottom of our souls; may they meet as
ready a forgiveness from their own consciences! Like true and
independent bachelors, having no domestic cares to interfere
with our general benevolence, we consider it incumbent upon us
to watch over the welfare of society; and although we are
indebted to the world for little else than left-handed favors, yet
we feel a proud satisfaction in requiting evil with good, and the
sneer of illiberality with the unfeigned smile of good humor.
With these mingled motives of selfishness and philanthropy we
commenced our work, and if we cannot solace ourselves with
the consciousness of having done much good, yet there is still
one pleasing consolation left, which the world can neither give
nor take away. There are moments-lingering moments of listless indifference and heavy-hearted despondency —when our best
hopes and affections slipping, as they sometimes will, from their
hold on those objects to which they usually cling for support,
seem abandoned on the wide waste of cheerless existence, with