But thrown in occasionally, and in the proper place, it gives an excellent zest: and it has seldom been employed--never, except in the two instances quoted--better than in the cases of Tabitha Bramble and her maid.

For it is employed in the only legitimate way, that of zest, not substance.

Tabitha and Winifred would still be triumphs of characterisation of a certain kind if they wrote as correctly as Uncle Matthew or Nephew Jery.

Further, Lismahago is a bolder and a much less caricatured utilising of the "national" resource than Morgan.

If Smollett had not been a perfectly undaunted, as well as a not very amiable, person he would hardly have dared to "_lacess_ the thistle" in this fashion.