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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

My kind-hearted friend, Bottalin, was so affected at mydanger, that he fell seriously ill. Our comrade Dixon, ofjovial celebrity, whom I have mentioned above, calling toenquire about his health, approached his bed, and kindlyasked him how he felt. Here our friend’s English was foundto be in fault, for being seized with some sudden twinge ofpain, and wishing for his female housekeeper to be calledfor, he replied to Dixon’s inquiries by vociferating, “ Askmy woman! ask Clementina!” Dixon, astonished that hisfriend should not be able to give any account of his owncondition and state of health, repeated the question, whichbrought the same reply with greater energy and impatience.Fearing that fever had got into Bottalin’s head, he shook hisown and rang the bell, when Clementina entering the room,Bottalin resolved the mystery by showing that he onlywanted her to be “ called,” not “ asked,” to give hersome orders about his medicine. The next time thatBottalin greeted any of his friends, with the usual saluta-tion of “ how do you do,” he received for answer, “ ask mywoman.” But he was too warm an Anglomane ever to likethe joke, which nearly involved him in several quarrels.

I must candidly confess that I did not take advantage ofthe opportunity afforded me in Mr. Bottalin’s house, ofaccumulating much knowledge in commercial affairs.Dinners, shooting, fishing, riding, chemistry, mineralogy,and every other pursuit save that which I was destined for,engaged my time. Mr. Bottalin gave frequent dinners, andhe prided himself much on my ability in giving orders tohis cook, in presiding at table, and doing honour to hisgood wines, without feeling those effects which assailedhimself often before the removal of the table-cloth. More-over, he had a silk-spinning establishment, about twelvemiles from Naples, at a beautiful village called La Fragola.He gave me the chief superintendence of that concern, and