In Which Azzageddi Seems To Use Babbalanja For A Mouth-Piece Porpheero far astern, the spirits of the company rose.

Once again, old Mohi serenely unbraided, and rebraided his beard; and sitting Turk- wise on his mat, my lord Media smoking his gonfalon, diverted himself with the wild songs of Yoomy, the wild chronicles of Mohi, or the still wilder speculations of Babbalanja; now and then, as from pitcher to pitcher, pouring royal old wine down his soul.
Among other things, Media, who at times turned over Babbalanja for an encyclopaedia, however unreliable, demanded information upon the subject of neap tides and their alleged slavish vassalage to the moon.
When true to his cyclopaediatic nature, Babbalanja quoted from a still older and better authority than himself; in brief, from no other than eternal Bardianna.

It seems that that worthy essayist had discussed the whole matter in a chapter thus headed: "On Seeing into Mysteries through Mill-Stones;" and throughout his disquisitions he evinced such a profundity of research, though delivered in a style somewhat equivocal, that the company were much struck by the erudition displayed.
"Babbalanja, that Bardianna of yours must have been a wonderful student," said Media after a pause, "no doubt he consumed whole thickets of rush-lights." "Not so, my lord.--'Patience, patience, philosophers,' said Bardianna; 'blow out your tapers, bolt not your dinners, take time, wisdom will be plenty soon.'" "A notable hint! Why not follow it, Babbalanja ?" "Because, my lord, I have overtaken it, and passed on." "True to your nature, Babbalanja; you stay nowhere." "Ay, keep moving is my motto; but speaking of hard students, did my lord ever hear of Midni the ontologist and entomologist ?" "No." "Then, my lord, you shall hear of him now.

Midni was of opinion that day-light was vulgar; good enough for taro-planting and traveling; but wholly unadapted to the sublime ends of study.

He toiled by night; from sunset to sunrise poring over the works of the old logicans.