THE pliments of the season to my worthy masters, and a merry first of April to us all!
Many happy returns of this day to you -- and you --and you, Sir -- nay, never frown, man, nor put a long face upoter. Do not we know one another? what need of ceremony among friends? we have all a touch of that same -- you uand me -- a speck of the motley. Beshrew the man who on such a day as this, the general festival, should affect to stand aloof. I am none of those sneakers. I am free of the corporation, and care not who knows it. He that meets me in the forest to-day, shall meet with no wise-acre, I tell him. Stultus sum. Translate me that, and take the meaning of it to yourself for your pains. What, man, we have four quarters of the globe on our side, at the least putation.
Fill us a cup of that sparkling gooseberry -- we will drink no wise, melancholy, politic port on this day -- a us troll the catiens -- duc ad me -- duc ad me -- how goes it?
Here shall he see
Gross fools as he.
Now would I give a trifle to know historically and authentically, who was the greatest fool that ever lived. I would certainly give him in a bumper. Marry, of the present breed, I think I could without much difficulty name you the party.
Remove your cap a little further, if you please; it hides my bauble. And now each maride his hobby, and dust away his bells to what tune he pleases. I will give you, for my part,
_______The crazy old church clock,
And the bewildered chimes.
Good master Empedocles, you are wele. It is long since you went a salamander gathering downa. Worse than samphire-pig by some odds. `Tis a mercy your worship did not singe your mustachios.
Ha! brotus! and what salads in faith did you light upon at the bottom of the Mediterranean? You were founder, I take it, of the disied sect of the turists.
Gebir, my old free-mason, and prince of plasterers at Babel, bring in your trowel, most A Grand! You have claim to a seat at my right hand, as patron of the stammerers. You left your work, if I remember Herodotus correctly, at eight hundred million toises, or thereabout, above the level of the sea. Bless us, what a long bell you must have pulled, to call your top workmen to their nun on the low grounds of Sennaar. Or did you send up yarlid onions by a rocket? I am a rogue if I am not ashamed to show you our Mo on Fish-street Hill, after your altitudes. Yet we think it somewhat.
What, the magnanimous Alexander in tears ? -- cry, baby, put its finger in its eye, it shall have anlobe, round as an e, pretty moppet!
Mister Adams -- odso, I honour your coat -- pray do us the favour to read to us that sermon, which you lent to Mistress Slipslop -- the twenty and sed in your portmahere -- on Female Intinence -- the same -- it will e in most irrelevantly and impertily seasoo the time of the day.
Go Master Raymund Lully, you look wise. Pray correct that error. -
Duns, spare your definitions. I must fine you a bumper, or a paradox. We will have nothing said or done syllogistically this day. Remove those logical forms, waiter, that lemahe tender shins of his apprehension stumbling across them.
Master Stephen, you are late. -- Ha! Cokes, is it you ? -- Ague-cheek, my dear knight, let me pay my devoir to you. -- Master Shallow, your worships poor servant to and. -- Master Silence, I will use few words with you. -- Slender, it shall go hard if I edge not you in somewhere. -- Yo