I shall conclude this letter with a short description of anentertainment which I gave to several of the inhabitants of this placea few days since. Having invited as many as I could convenientlyaccommodate, I regaled them with all the most exquisite skinnygs themarket afforded. I passed the bottle pretty briskly, telling them theliquor was a favourite decoction of mine, which they might drinkwithout any scruple. They did not seem to wish to doubt thisassertion; and having raised their spirits to a flow of mirth andjollity, I told them, that, as they had done me the honour of comingto dine with me, I would endeavour to amuse them with a small specimenof what the physicians in England commonly make use of in certainchronical complaints. I then placed my electric machine in the centreof the court, and having loaded it with a sufficient quantity ofelectric fluid, produced such a powerful shock to about a dozen of thestoutest, that, either from surprise or terror, they fell apparentlysenseless on the floor. The consternation and confusion which ensuedwere beyond description; the rest were all retiring precipitately withthe most dreadful yells and cries imaginable, expecting to share thefate of their companions. With much difficulty I prevailed on them toremain, and, raising the men from the ground, I convinced them theyhad received no injury; upon which they unanimously attributed it tomy great skill in magic, and loaded me with a thousand compliments, Irepeated the experiment three or four times, to their inexpressiblewonder, and I occasionally was at length almost hailed as a supernatural being. Thereport of this extraordinary phenomenon soon spread abroad, and a vastconcourse of people assembled; but my guard would not allow any one toenter without my permission. In the evening I sent for a band ofmusic, and my company continued dancing and rioting till morning. Theybrought in several Jewish women, and carried the farce to such alength, that I occasionally was completely rejoiced to get rid of them,determining, in my own mind, never again to venture such anotherentertainment.

LETTER XXI.