a sudden clap of thunder on a summer's day, when not a cloud is to be seen above the horizon. In short, I recommend Will's laugh as a sovereign remedy for the spleen; and if any of our readers are troubled with that villainous complaint—which can hardly be, if they make good use of our works-I advise them earnestly to get introduced to him forthwith.

This outrageous merriment of Will's, as may be easily supposed, threw the whole family into a violent fit of wondering; we all, with the exception of Christopher who took the interruption in high dudgeon, silently stole up to the library; and bolting in upon him, were fain at the first glance to join in his aspiring His face-but I despair to give an idea of his appearance!—and until his portrait, which is now in the hands of an eminent artist, is engraved, my readers must be content; I promise them they shall one day or other have a striking likeness of Will's indescribable phiz, in all its native comeliness.

roar.

Upon my inquiring the occasion of his mirth, he thrust an old, rusty, musty, and dusty manuscript into my hand, of which I could not decipher one word out of ten, without more trouble than it was worth. This task, however, he kindly took off my hands; and, in a little more than eight-and-forty hours, produced

a translation into fair Roman letters; though he assured me it had lost a vast deal of its humor by being modernized and degraded into plain English. In return for the great pains he had taken, I could not do less than insert it in our work. Will informs me that it is but one sheet of a stupendous bundle which still remains uninvestigated. Who was the author we have not yet discovered; but a note on the back, in my grandfather's handwriting, informs us that it was presented to him as a literary curiosity by his particular friend, the illustrious Rip Van Dam, formerly lieutenantgovernor of the colony of New Amsterdam; and if his fame has never reached these latter days, it is only because he was too modest a man ever to do anything worthy of being particularly recorded.

CHAP. CIX.-OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE RENOWNED AND ANTIENT CITY OF

GOTHAM.

"How Gotham City conquered was,

And how the folks turned apes-because."

Link. Fid.

Albeit, much about this time it did fall out that the thrice-renowned and delectable city of Gotham did suffer great discomfiture, and was

11

1 tor Roman letters; though had lost a vast deal of its ng modernized and degraded into In return for the great pains asen, I could not do less than insert our work. Will informs me that it is but sheet of a stupendous bundle which still ains uninvestigated. Who was the author have not yet discovered; but a note on the in my grandfather's handwriting, inus that it was presented to him as a y curiosity by his particular friend, the Rip Van Dam, formerly lieutenantor of the colony of New Amsterdam; is s fame has never reached these latter e he was too modest a ever tách a worthy of being par

recorded.

PUN - OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE FLROWNED AND ANTIENT CITY OF

let, much about this time it did fall out

*ta thrice mo

ham did suite

:ed and delectable city of

et discomfiture, and was