[texhax] LaTeX list environments

[Joan Boorstein]

I would like a LaTeX list environment which sets its items as follows --

1) the first item would start on its own line
2) each subsequent item would be placed on the same line as the previous
item, if it would fit on the line.
3) if the subsequent item does not fit, a new line would start.

Thus I envision the following --

    This is the paragraph before the start of my new list.
       a) this is the first item on the list    b) second item
       c) this is the third item and starts on a new line because it would
not fit on the previous line -- it is so long that it takes more than one
line -- whether it would be indented should be an option left to the user
       d) the fourth item    e) fifth 	f) sixth    g) the seventh
       h) as with most lists, the type of label should be up to the user
       i) another item      j) the last item

I haven't thought about how the list items that fit on a single line 
should be spaced ...  

Is there such a beast available?  I've looked in The LaTeX Companion and
did not find what I was looking for.  Searching CTAN (by topic) only shows
what is described in the LaTeX Companion.  

Thanks for any pointers --
Joan Boorstein