The fly-fancier, thus questioned, accused the mathematician
of having been the aggressor, in likening his head to a light cabbage;
and here the altercation being renewed, the engineer proceeded to
the illustration of his mechanics, tilting up his hand like a balance,
thrusting it forward by way of lever, embracing the naturalist's
nose like a wedge betwixt two of his fingers, and turning it round,
with the momentum of a screw or peritrochium. Had they been obliged
to decide the dispute with equal arms, the assailant would have
had great advantage over the other, who was very much his inferior
in muscular strength; but the philosopher being luckily provided
with a cane, no sooner disengaged himself from this opprobrious
application, than he handled his weapon with great dexterity about
the head and shoulders of his antagonist, who, finding this shower
of blows very disagreeable, was fain to betake himself to his heels
for shelter, and was pursued by the angry victor, who chased him
from one end of the street to the other, affording unspeakable
satisfaction to the multitude, as well as to our hero and to his
introductor, who were spectators of the whole scene.
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