“You must know, then, that my friend, Major Snapwell, proposes to give a grand rural fête to the inhabitants of Overton; and, as he intends to convert his grounds into a fair upon the occasion, he is desirous of finding some person acquainted with comic entertainments, who would undertake the office of manager, to contract with the necessary performers, and superintend all the arrangements.” “I am the lad for the major’s silver,” said the delighted wag; “for without vanity, I may say that few persons better understand the art of mixing up the motley ingredients of fun and frolic; there is, besides, that in the major’s face which I would willingly call master.” “And were I to judge from your frontispiece,” said the major, “I should say that every day in your calendar was a red-lettered one--the painting of that red nose of yours must have cost a trifle.” “Cannot tell; it is not yet finished,” retorted the wit. Major Snapwell, with the assistance of Mr. Seymour, now entered more fully into the nature and extent of the exhibitions which he wished Hopkins to provide; but as he was, at present, unable to fix the exact period for the fête, he directed him to take such steps only as might be necessary for securing the performers, and to hold himself in readiness for active service. ----- Footnote 61: Drake’s Shakspeare and his Times. Footnote 62: Ovid. Fast. 2. v. 525. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: Man using a Thaumatrope with a boy and girl looking on.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XVIII. _The Thaumatrope.--A great improvement effected in its construction.--Another toy upon the same optical principle._ Tom’s holidays were now drawing to a close, and the children were summoned into the library to receive their last lesson in philosophy. “You have lately witnessed an experiment,” said Mr. Seymour, “which must have convinced you how liable the ear is to be deluded with respect to the nature and direction of sound; I shall now show you that the eye has also its sources of fallacy.” “If you proceed in this manner, you will make us all Cartesians,”[63] exclaimed the vicar. “I shall illustrate my subject by means of a new toy which I have lately invented,” said Mr. Seymour, “and unless I am much mistaken, it will afford as much amusement to the elder as to the younger members of our party, although the vicar may perhaps regard it as a more hostile instrument than even that of the wooden horse which filled unhappy Troy with an armed enemy. It is a small machine,” continued Mr. Seymour, “which is well calculated to furnish us with some capital puns.”