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 ASSEMBLY. 29
gaiety of the ballroom. I must confess I am indebted for this
remark to our friend the cockney, Mr.'SBIDLIKENSFLASH, or'Sbidlikens, as he is called for shortness. He is a fellow of
infinite verbosity-stands in high favor-with himself-and, like
Caleb Quotem, is "up to everything." I remember when a
comfortable, plump-looking citizen led into the room a fair damsel, who looked for all the world like the personification of a
rainbow;'Sbidlikens observed that it reminded him of a fable,
which he had read somewhere, of the marriage of an honest
painstaking snail, who had once walked six feet in an hour for
a wager, to a butterfly whom he used to gallant by the elbow,
with the aid of much puffing and exertion. On being called
upon to tell where he had come across the story,'Sbidlikens
absolutely refused to answer.
It would but be repeating an old story to say, that the ladies
of New York dance well;-and well may they, since they learn
it scientifically, and begin their lessons before they have quit
their swaddling clothes. The immortal DUPORT has usurped
despotic sway over all the female heads and heels in this city;horn-books, primers, and pianos are neglected, to attend to his
positions; and poor CHILTON, with his pots, and kettles, and
chemical crockery, finds him a more potent enemy than the
whole collective force of the " North River Societv."*'Sbidlikens insists that this dancing mania will inevitably continue as long
as a dancing-master will charge the fashionable price of five-andtwenty dollars a quarter, and all other accomplishments are so
vulgar as to be attainable at "half the money;"-but I put no
faith in'Sbidlikens' candor in this particular. Among his
* An imaginary association, the object of which was to set the North
River (the Hudson) on fire. A number of young men of some fashion,
little talent, and great pretension, were ridiculed as members.-Paris Ed.