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Rh own account; for if you make the charge for admission ever so small, I am confident that, owing to numbers who will attend, you will be well repaid."

"And the press goes free," I said.

"Always free," was the answer.

"Perhaps," I observed, "it would be as well to commence preparations at once."

"Whenever it suits you," was the reply, I can make the matter known to the public."

"And what about the subject?" I said.

"Choose whatever subject you please," he responded, "and give yourself a reasonable time to prepare your address."

I thought over the matter, and before parting we fixed the hour for the commencement of my first lecture.

When I got home, I sought out my studio, in order to reflect over this new deviation, and now discovered that I had undertaken a more difficult task than I had anticipated. First, what subject should I choose? I was fairly puzzled about this. It would be of no use referring to the triumphs of the sciences, manufactures, or machinery; for in all these, with the exception, perhaps, of geography, they were far in advance of ourselves. Of course