"Quiet, quiet, my Specimen," my Recorder roared out to me at the pitch of his voice; "you are excited, you are ill, but do not for any sake continue making such a diabolical noise."
I had now come to rest, and explained that I was not ill, but only laughing at my own absurd position. Both shook their heads, however, saying:—
"You require rest, you are very ill, your nerves are unstrung." So they lifted me on the couch again, and I was passed to sleep.
When I next awoke, I was quite calm and collected. I determined not to move with such rashness again, and got out of bed in a very gingerly way. Inch by inch I moved, in case I should get on the hop again. While doing so, I could not help thinking of the peculiarities of human nature, and the liability of thinking mortals to go from one extreme to another. How often had I seen illustrations of this in my former life. I had seen men of the soberest minds rushing into actions of the greatest absurdity. I had seen men rushing from sanc-
