The prætor and his family, including Cleorita and Oviata Arcos, with the Four, awaited, on the morning succeeding the eventful day of Manito’s animalculan introduction, the coming of the Dosch of Manatitla in the audience chamber of the house, dedicated by Correliana in aptitude to the developing powers of the tympano-microscope, “the auriculum.” After a short delay of expectation, the courier falcon appeared at poise, from which in swift descent it came in downward incline direct to its perch on Correliana’s wrist. But a second elapsed before the tympanum reëchoed in cheery tones of salutation the voice of our expected visitor. Our attention attracted to the field of magnifying reflection, discovered a coterie of animalculans, of nearly the same size, grouped about the speaker. With the salutation, “Afferens scientiam errantes gigantes,” he addressed us as follows:—
For ages untold, our race have waited in patient expectation for the morning’s dawn when they could salute yours face to face, and impart to you a source of happiness that in life realizes communion with immortality. To us has been vouchsafed this coveted privilege, and it shall be our study to improve it to your advantage. Notwithstanding the malapropos accident—casting upon Correliana an arch glance that wrought for her face a scarlet veil—of yesterday, which detracted from the dignity of an introduction so important to the regenerative welfare of your race, we were glad that auspicious mirth was the trophy of the occasion, rather than tears of grief, of which we shall be mindful in adjudging our censure to the cause. Joyous mirth we have esteemed an evidence of goodness, for it declares itself beyond the reach of selfish impediment that breeds evil intention; even when the foibles of our kind become the subjects of humorous provocation. Mirth is ill timed, when preconcerted with a knowledge that a portion of those present will be unable to appreciate the humorous incentive; as it opens wide the door of suspicion with your peoples, who have been educated under the partial sway of national habits and customs. Dissimilarity in habits and customs, under national patronage, begets from seeming incongruity a disposition to gibe with missile retorts, fledged and tipped with ironical sarcasms, as rankling in effect as the pointed weapons in the mouth of Mr. Welson’s knighted chief. To be frank, if the ludicrous scene of yesterday had occurred with matured acquaintance, I should not have spared the demure, but conscious blushes of the fair medium. Our first acquaintance with you, although not mutual in personal recognition, is of older date than yesterday, and upon it has been founded our predilections, which in train have led to the many concurrent circumstances favoring the happy issue of our more direct scheme, devised for the liberation of your race from the pampering trammels of instinct. It would have been quite easy for our first giantescoes to have obtained an introduction to your race, if they had emulated the desire of being exhibited as an iotian monstrosity for the gratification of giga greed and curiosity. But fortunately for our present hoped-for issue, our system of education, devised for the development of affectionate confidence, encouraged the past generations of our race to wait for an opening free from the entailment of experimental disadvantage. A knowledge of our race for the gratification of your scientific savants curiosity, would have been as profitless for good, as their sight-seeing acquaintance with the moon and stars. Our Manatitlan sages have from the earliest period recommended extreme caution to prevent the premature introduction of our race to yours. The favorable indications to be watched for in premonition of a successful issue were those of extreme folly, heralding a closing cycle; for the contrast afforded by the result of our happy example would attract kindly imitation of those inclined to affectionate goodness.