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 The same.

I must confess that hitherto I deem'd The Gorgons a mere fable, but just now I stepp'd into the fish-market, and there I saw, at once, the dread reality; And I was petrified, indeed, so much, That, to converse with them, I turn'd my back For fear of being turn'd to stone; they ask'd A price so high and so extravagant For a poor despicable paltry fish.—

(Book vi. § 5, p. 356.)

The general of an army is at least A thousand times more easy of access, And you may get an answer quicker too Than from these cursed fishmongers: ask them The price of their commodity, they hold A wilful silence, and look down with shame, Like Telephus; with reason good; for they Are, one and all, without exception, A set of precious scoundrels. Speak to one, He'll measure you from top to toe, then look Upon his fish, but still no answer give. Turn o'er a polypus, and ask another The price, he soon begins to swell and chafe, And mutters out half-words between his teeth, But nothing so distinct that you may learn His real meaning—so many oboli; But then the number you are still to guess, The syllable is wilfully suppress'd, Or left half utter'd. This you must endure, And more, if you attend the fish-market.—

The same.

Ten thousand times more easy 'tis to gain Admission to a haughty general's tent, And have discourse of him, than in the market Audience to get of a cursed fishmonger. If you draw near and say, How much, my friend,