Thinks-I-To-Myself (Volume 2 ); A Serio-Ludicro, Tragico-Comico Tale (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1816. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Zero's heart, my digressions, book-filling contrivances, &c. Sec. and to the charge of " coarse " wit," I have one very ready reply, namely, that though it was never inserted with a view of raising such ideas as appear to have struck this gentleman's imagination, and that of a few others, yet the moment I knew, that by that single passage, (for only one charge of this kind, thank my stars, has ever been advanced against my writings) I really had excited such ideas, the passage was expunged, and I am much mistaken if the author of " I'll Consider " of it," would find it in any edition but the very one, that, (by his own acknowledgment in another part of his book, ) he happened to read. At all events, it is not in any of the earliest, or any of the latest editions, so that I hope the damage done by this small scrap of coarse wit has at least not been very extensive. My incongruities are confounded in some degree with my book-filling contrivances, and literary subterfuges. It is, itseems, incongruous for such a clever gentleman as I appear to be in some parts of my book, to use such long unwitty words as decompositions, fermentations', sublimations, &c. &c. and " why," says the learned critic, " betray such seeming lack of " wit, as to put A, B, C, down to Izzard?" - Why not," says he, - put Z? It would have " taken less room."--. ' i I bow, with all humility, and with the most profound submission to this reproof. I cannot but acknowledge Z would have taken less room than Izzard, to the full extent of at the least, three tenths of an inch in a page of only four inches wide and seven long. To that extent I do acknowledge I have in this instance trespassed upon the pockets of the public, without any absolute necessity; and in the case of the long unwitty word...