and thoughts, borrowed from others, which they had used, and which now

got free and rushed away like so many fireworks. They played at 'the

stick burns,' and the young poets played at 'heart-burns,' and the

witlings played off their jests, and the jests rolled away with a

thundering sound, as if empty pots were being shattered against doors.

'It was very amusing!' my niece said; in fact, she said many things

that were very malicious but very amusing, but I won't mention them,

for a man must be good-natured, and not a carping critic. But you will