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.

270 SALMAGUNDI.
tion of spirit, and displeased me most with this stiff-necked
nation is, that in spite of all the serious and profound censures
of the sage Mustapha, in his various letters-they will talk!they will still wag their tongues, and chatter like very slangwhangers! This is a degree of obstinacy incomprehensible in
the extreme; and is another proof how alarming is the force of
habit, and how difficult it is to reduce beings, accustomed to
talk, to that state of silence which is the very acme of human
wisdom.
We can only account for these disappointments in our moderate and reasonable expectations, by supposing the world so
deeply sunk in the mire of delinquency, that not even Hercules,
were he to put his shoulder to the axletree, would be able to
extricate it. We comfort ourselves, however, by the reflection
that there are at least three good men left in this degenerate
age to benefit the world by example, should precept ultimately
fail. And borrowing, for once, an example from certain sleepy
writers who, after the first emotions of surprise at finding their
invaluable effusions neglected or despised, console themselves
with the idea that'tis a stupid age, and look forward to
posterity for redress-we bequeath our volume to future
generations-and much good may it do them. Heaven grant
they may be able to read it! for, if our fashionable mode of
education continues to improve, as of late, I am under serious
apprehensions that the period is not far distant when the discipline of the dancing-master will supersede that of the grammarian: crotchets and quavers supplant the alphabet: and the
heels, by an antipodean manceuvre, obtain entire preeminence
over the head. How does my heart yearn for poor, dear posterity
when this work shall become unintelligible to our grandchildren
as it seems to be to their grandfathers and grandmothers.