Page:Paul Clifford Vol 1.djvu/123

Rh Our hero signified his assent by a sort of hysterical sound between a laugh and a groan. Mac Grawler continued—

"There is another grand difficulty attendant on this class of criticism,—it is generally requisite to read a few pages of the work; because we seldom tickle without extracting, and it requires some judgment to make the context agree with the extract; but it is not often necessary to extract when you slash or when you plaster; when you slash, it is better in general to conclude with—

"'After what we have said, it is unnecessary to add, that we cannot offend the taste of our readers by any quotation from this execrable trash.' And when you plaster, you may wind up with, 'We regret that our limits will not allow us to give any extracts from this wonderful and unrivalled work. We must refer our readers to the book itself.'

"And now, Sir, I think I have given you a sufficient outline of the noble science of Scaliger and Mac Grawler. Doubtless you are reconciled to the task I have allotted you; and while I tickle