idea of which we are indebted to the Greek satirist is the 'Imaginary Conversations' of Walter Savage Landor.
Some three or four of the most striking of this series must content our readers here. The following, although it does not stand first in the common order of arrangement, seems to form the best introduction to the series.
CHARON AND HIS PASSENGERS.
Charon. Now listen to me, good people—I'll tell you how it is. The boat is but small, as you see, and somewhat rotten and leaky withal: and if the weight gets to one side, over we go: and here you are crowding in all at once, and with lots of luggage, every one of you. If you come on board here with all that lumber, I suspect you'll repent of it afterwards—especially those who can't swim.
Mercury. What's best for us to do then, to get safe across?
Cha. I'll tell you. You must all strip before you get in, and leave all those encumbrances on shore: and even then the boat will scarce hold you all. And you take care, Mercury, that no soul is admitted that is not in light marching order, and who has not left all his encumbrances, as I say, behind. Just stand at the gangway and overhaul them, and don't let them get in till they've stripped.
Merc. Quite right; I'll see to it.—Now, who comes first here?
Menippus. I—Menippus. Look—I've pitched my
