"SOMEWHAT IMPROVED CONTINUANCE."
[To THE EDITOR OP TEE "SPECTATOR:I Sm,—The story told by Mr. F. R. Bryzms in his letter which appeared in the Spectator of December 15th of an old man's thoughts wandering from the story of Lazarus to the goatish appearance of the Vicar of W—'s beard, is curiously like a Persian tale which must be familiar to Persian scholars. A Moollah was much flattered by seeing that during his sermon in the mosque one of the congregation was apparently so moved by his eloquence that he was weeping bitterly. After the service he spoke to the man and told him how glad he was that his words had made such an impression on him- " Oh; no," was the reply, "it was not that, but I once owned an old he-goat which I dearly loved. To my deep sorrow my goat died, and when I saw you wagging your beard in the pulpit it reminded me so much of my dear old goat that I
could not help weeping."—I am, Sir, &c., W. HAGGARD.
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