Each of the company, in turn, calls herself a merchant, and mentions an article that she has for sale. The one next to her must say whether that article is animal, vegetable, or mineral. If she makes a mistake, she loses her turn. If she answers rightly, she becomes the next merchant, and proposes something for sale, asking, also, if it be animal, vegetable, or mineral. And in this manner the play goes round.

Example.

Maria. I am a china-merchant, and have a tea-service to sell. Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?

Louisa. Mineral. China is made of clay and flint, and things belonging to earth. Now it is my turn. I am a dry-goods merchant, and have a piece of gingham to sell. Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?

Helen. Vegetable; gingham being made of cotton. I keep a grocery, and have a box of candles to sell. Are they animal, vegetable, or mineral ?

Charlotte. Animal. Candles are made either of tallow, spermaceti, or wax, all of which are animal substances. I keep a cabinet warehouse, and have a dining-table for sale. Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral ?

Harriet. Vegetable ; being made of the wood of the mahogany-tree. I am a silk-merchant, and have a piece of satin for sale. Is it animal, mineral, or vegetable ?

Caroline. Vegetable.

Harriet. What! satin vegetable ? Is it not made of silk thread, produced by the silkworm ? Therefore it must be animal. Caroline, you have lost your turn, and can sell nothing this time. — Come, Emily, you are merchant now.

Emily. I am a stationer, and have a quire of letter-paper for sale. Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral ?

Julia. Vegetable; white paper being made of linen or cotton rags. I am a druggist, and have some opium to sell. Is it animal, mineral, or vegetable ?

Matilda. Mineral.

Maria. Oh, no, no ! Opium is vegetable: it is the condensed juice of the poppy. You have lost your turn of being merchant, Matilda, and it has now come to me again.

Matilda. I thought almost all medicines were minerals.

Maria. A great many of them are; but a very great number of drugs are made from plants, and therefore vegetable.