say: '_We_ are the people who send vice to Coventry, and teach the world
how to despise immorality.' Nay, if one man commits a murder, your
newspapers kindly instruct his associates how to murder in future, by a
far safer method. A wretch kills a boy for the surgeons, by holding his
head under water; 'Silly dog!' cries the Morning Herald, 'why did not he
clap a sponge dipped in prussic acid to the boy's mouth?'"

Here we were interrupted by a slight noise in the next box, which a
gentleman had just entered. He was a tall man, with a handsome face and
very prepossessing manner.

"That is an Author of considerable reputation," said my Devil, "quiet,
though a man of wit, and with a heart, though a man of the world. Talking
of the drama, he once brought out a farce, which had the good fortune to
be damned. As great expectations had been formed of it, and the author's
name had transpired; the unsuccessful writer rose the next morning with a
hissing sound in his ears, and that leaning towards misanthropy, which you
men always experience when the world has the bad taste to mistake your
merits. 'Thank Fate, however,' said the Author, 'it is damned
thoroughly--it is off the stage--I cannot be hissed again--in a few days
it will be forgotten--meanwhile I will take a walk in the Park.' Scarce
had the gentleman got into the street, before, lo! at a butcher's shop
blazed the 'very head and front of his offending.' 'Second night of its
appearance, the admired Farce of ----, by ----, Esq.' Away posts the
Author to the Manager.--'Good Heavens! Sir, my farce again! was it not
thoroughly damned last night?'--'Thoroughly damned!' quoth the Manager,
drily; 'we reproduce it, Sir--we reproduce it (with a knowing wink,) that
the world, enraged at our audacity, may come here to damn it again.' So it
is, you see! the love of money is the contempt of man: there's an aphorism
for you! Let us turn to the stage. What actresses you have!--certainly you