seen--learned friends who called upon me had never seen its fellow--it was pronounced an _inedited_ coin, as indeed it turned out afterwards to be! The annual meeting of our archæological society was at hand. I determined to _memorialize_ my coin, and to read my memoir at the meeting. In three weeks I had finished my labours. There were some striking conjectures in the paper, which I went early to deliver. We had waited half an hour for the Prince St Georgio. At last he came. 'Look!' said I, putting the coin into his hands, (and I said not a word beyond this.) Mightily pleased he seemed with it _at once_, looking from me to it and from it to me. I thought he was going to propose for it. At last he spoke--it was but a word; but his emphasis and accent made my ears tingle. '_Excellent!_' said he; but I was reassured on hearing him add, 'Casanuova has the luck of St Angelo, and nobody ever took him in.' Relieved by this announcement, I could now afford to be modest, and said it was but by accident that I had _first_ seen the coin. '_Not first_, Casanuova," said the prince--'but second, I _believe_. I saw it _first_.' '_You!_' said I, aghast; 'you saw this coin, and did not buy it?' '_Costava!_ it cost too much; besides, to tell you the truth, _Coco, who had just made it_, told me it was expressly intended for the cabinet of _quel dottissimo suo amico J. Battista Casanuova_.'" "'Tis all true," said Coco, rubbing his hands; "and I believe I can do almost any thing I _like_ with any of them." "Except not to tell lies, and not to impose upon antiquaries?" "_Caro lei!_ these are the very things I like to _do most_, and do accordingly."