The other cards were now exhibited in succession, of which the box contained eighteen, and the whole party, not even excepting the vicar, were highly gratified with the amusement. “But I have not yet read to you the author’s address to the public; and which, I must say, contains a succession of very happy puns.” “Spare me! spare me!” cried the vicar: “I like your toy, but cannot discover the advantage of alloying amusement with such spurious wit, and of associating science with buffoonery.” Mr. Seymour, however, was relentless, and thus proceeded: “It is well known that the Laputan philosopher invented a piece of machinery, by which works could be composed by a mechanical operation; and the Quarterly Review has asserted, that a certain English poem was fabricated in Paris, by the powers of a steam-engine; but the author of the present invention claims for himself the exclusive merit of having first constructed a hand-mill, by which puns and epigrams may be _turned_ with as much ease as tunes are played on the hand-organ, and old jokes so _rounded_ and changed, as to assume all the airs of originality. The inventor confidently anticipates the favour and patronage of an enlightened and liberal public, on the well-grounded assurance, that ‘_one good turn_ deserves another;’ and he trusts that his discovery may afford the happy means of giving activity to wit that has been long _stationary_; of _revolutionising_ the present system of _standing_ jokes, and of putting into _rapid circulation_ the most approved bon-mots.” “Why, vicar, what ails thee?” exclaimed the major. “Our subject has given him a _turn_; let him alone, and he will soon _come round_,” observed Mr. Seymour. The whole party, with the exception of Mr. Twaddleton, laughed heartily; the vicar, however, did not relax a feature of his countenance. As soon as this ebullition had subsided, the major enquired of Mr. Seymour, what was the nature of the improvement to which he had alluded. “My proposed improvements refer both to the subjects exhibited on the cards, and to the mechanism by which their changes are effected,” replied Mr. Seymour. “In the first place, it has occurred to me that this amusing toy might be made instrumental in impressing classical subjects upon the memory of young persons.” This observation delighted the vicar, who said that he would patronise such an attempt with all his heart. “Why can we not,” continued he, “thus represent the Metamorphoses of Ovid; or what say you, vicar, to converting the fleet of Æneas into sea-nymphs, as Virgil has it?” “An elegant thought! upon my word; a most elegant conception!” exclaimed Mr. Twaddleton. “What have we here?” interrupted the major, who had, for the first time, noticed the superscription on the cover of the box: “had I seen this before, I should have augured favourably of the toy: it is like the sign of an inn, which is held out to announce good entertainment within.” He then read the following:--