Omniana/Volume 1/Ride and Tie

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3215964Omniana/Volume 1 — Ride and Tie1812Samuel Taylor Coleridge

89. Ride and Tie.

"On a scheme of perfect retribution in the moral world"—(observed Empeiristes, and paused to look at, and wipe his spectacles.)—

"Frogs (interposed Musaello) must have been experimental philosophers, and experimental philosophers must all transmigrate into frogs."

The scheme will not be yet perfect, (added Gelon) unless our friend Empeiristes, is specially privileged to become an elect frog twenty times successively, before he reascends into a Galvanic philosopher.

"Well, well," (replied Empeiristes, with a benignant smile) I give my consent, if only our little Mary's fits do not recur."

Little Mary was Gelon's only child, & the darling & god-daughter of Empeiristes. By the application of galvanic influence, Empeiristes had removed a nervous affection of her right leg, accompanied with symptomatic epilepsy. The tear started into Gelon's eye, and he prest the hand of his friend, while Musaello half-suppressing, half-indulging a similar sense Of shame, sportively exclaimed—"Hang it, Gelon! somehow or other these philosopher fellows always have the better of us wits, in the long run!"