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.

378 SALMAGUNDI.
general." "Good; but then he must have been great at a
cotillon, or expert at a fiddlestick, or why is his memorial
here?" " Quite the contrary," answered my companion, "history makes no mention of his ever having flourished a fiddlestick, or figured in a single dance. You have, no doubt, heard
of him; he was the illustrious WASHINGTON, the father and
deliver of his country; and as our nation is remarkable for gratitude to great men, it always does honor to their memory, by
placing their monuments over the doors of taverns, or in the
corners of dancing-rooms."
From thence my friend and I strolled into a small apartment
adjoining the grand saloon, where I beheld a number of gravelooking persons, with venerable grey heads, but without beards,
which I thought very unbecoming, seated around a table, studying hieroglyphics. I approached them with reverence, as so
many magi, or learned men, endeavoring to expound the mysteries of Egyptian science. Several of them threw down money,
which I supposed was a reward proposed for some great discovery, when presently one of them spread his hieroglyphics on
the table, and exclaimed triumphantly, "Two bullets and a
bragger I" and swept all the money into his pocket. He has
discovered a key to the hieroglyphics, thought I; happy mortal no doubt his name will be immortalized. Willing, however, to be satisfied, I looked round on my companion with
an inquiring eye. He understood me, and informed me that
these were a company of friends, who had met together to win
each other's money, and be agreeable. "Is that all?" exclaimed
I, "why, then, I pray you, make way, and let me escape from
this temple of abominations, or who knows but these people,
who meet together to toil, worry, and fatigue themselves to
death, and give it the name of pleasure-and who win each