, which, tho' it was defaced by time, he would venture
to pronounce a genuine antique, from the ringing and taste of the metal, as well
as from the colour and composition of the rust: so saying, he produced a piece
of copper coin, so consumed and disguised by age, that scarce a vestige of the
impression was to be perceived. Nevertheless this connoisseur pretended to
distinguish a face in profil, from which he concluded that the piece was of the
Upper empire, and on the reverse he endeavoured to point out the bulb of the
spear, and part of the parazonium, which were the insignia of the Roman Virtus,
together with the fragment of one fold of the multicium in which she was
cloathed. He likewise had discovered one angle of the letter N, and, at some
distance, an intire I: from these circumstances conjecturing, and indeed
concluding, that the medal was struck by Severus, in honour of the victory he
obtained over his rival Niger, after he had forced the passes of mount Taurus.
This criticism seemed very satisfactory to the entertainer, who having examined
the coin by the help of his spectacles, plainly discerned the particulars which
the owner had mentioned, and was pleased to term his account of the matter a
very ingenious explanation.
    The curiosity was circulated through the hands of all present, and every
virtuoso, in his turn, licked the copper, and rung it upon the hearth, declaring
his assent to the judgment which had been pronounced. At length, it fell under
the inspection of our young gentleman, who, tho' no antiquarian, was very well
acquainted with the current coin of his own country, and no sooner cast his eyes
upon this valuable antique, than he affirmed, without hesitation, that it was no
other than the ruins of an English farthing, and that same spear, parazonium,
and multicium, the remains of the emblems and drapery with which the figure of
Britannia is delineated on our copper-money.
    This hardy asseveration seemed to disconcert the patron, while it incensed
the medallist, who grinning like an enraged baboon, »What d'ye tell me of a
brass farthing? (said he) Did you ever know modern brass of such a relish? Do
but taste it, young gentleman; and sure I am, if you have ever been conversant
with subjects of this kind, you will find as wide a difference in the savour
between this and an English farthing, as can possibly be perceived betwixt an
onion and a turnip: besides, this medal has the true Corinthian ring; then the
attitude is
