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Dombey and Daughter: A Moral Fiction. By Renton Nicholson, Lord Chief Baron of the celebrated Judge and Jury Society, held at the Garrick's Head Hotel, Bow Street. London. Thomas Farris. No date, about 1847. With illustrations. Pp. 94. At the end of the story Baron Nicholson bids his readers Farewell, and remarks, "I think I may, without arrogance, predict that these pages will be read with pleasure by those whose tastes are not vitiated, and who prefer a simple story, representing scenes of real life, to the monstrous productions of a feverish imagination, which of late have been received with unmerited though almost universal applause." This was published in monthly parts.

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Renton Nicholson also wrote Cockney Adventures, and Tales of London Life, in imitation of the Pickwick Papers. Dombey and Father, by Buz. A Satire on Charles Dickens. New York, 1868.

Micawber Redivivus; or, How to make a fortune as a Middleman, etc. By Jonathan Coalfield [i.e. W. Graham Simpson ?].

Bleak House; a Narrative of Real Life. Being a faithful detail of facts connected with a suit in the Irish Court of Chancery, from the year 1826 to 1851. London, H. Elliott. 1856.

Characteristic Sketches of Young Gentlemen. By Quiz
Junior. With Illustrations. London. W. Kidd.
By H. W. Friedlaender.

A Child's History of Germany.

A pendant to a "Child's History of England," by
Charles Dickens. Celle, 1861.

No Thoroughfare; the Book in Eight Acts. This parody
appeared in "The Mask," No. 1, February, 1868.
No Thoroughfare. A parody upon Dickens's N.T. By C-s
D-s, B. Brownjohn and Domby. Boston U.S.
The Mystery of Mr. E. Drood. Specimen of an Adaptation.
By Orpheus C. Kerr. (Three and a half pages.)
Published in The Piccadilly Annual. London. John
Camden Hotten. December, 1870. This very scarce
little work contains Hunted Down, by Charles Dickens,
which is not generally included amongst his collected
writings. It was originally written for an American
publisher.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Complete. Part the Second by the Spirit Pen of Charles Dickens, through a medium; embodying also that Part of the Work which was published prior to the Termination of the Author's Earth-Life. 1873. The medium was Mr. J. P. James, of Brattleborough, Vermont, U. S. John Jasper's Secret, being a Narrative of Certain Events following and Explaining "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," with illustrations. Philadelphia, about 1871. Also published in London in 1872,

The Cloven Foot; being an adaptation of the English novel, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" to American scenes, characters, customs, and nomenclature. By Orpheus C. Kerr. New York, 1870.

A Great Mystery Solved: Being a Sequel to
of Edwin Drood." By Gillan Vase.
London, Remington and Co, 1878.
Hanover, July 12, 1878.

"The Mystery

In three vols. Preface dated

Rifts in the Veil, a Collection of Inspirational Poems and Essays, given through Various Forms of Mediumship. London, W. H. Harrison. 1878. This work on Spiritualism contains particulars of a continuation of "Edwin Drood," which is said to have been dictated through a medium. The article occupies 30 closely printed pages, and is entitled An alleged Postmortem work by Charles Dickens."

66

Plays founded upon the Novels of Charles Dickens.

As is well known Charles Dickens strongly objected to his Novels being adapted for the Stage, yet scarcely one of his better known works escaped that penalty of popularity. As most of these stage adaptations are little better than parodies, or imitations, a catalogue cf them may be fitly inserted here.

In this compilation some assistance has been derived from the life of Dickens, by Mr. F. T. Marzials, (London, Walter Scott, 1887), but the following list contains more entries, and fuller details than he gave. It is, in fact, the only approximately complete list of plays founded on Dickens's Works, giving the date and place where first performed, and the names of the publishers, where they could be ascertained.

Sam Weller, or the Pickwickians, a Drama in three acts, first performed at the Strand New Theatre, London, July 17, 1837. By W. T. Moncrieff. (Dicks 541.) This has a long preface, in which the author defends himself against the charge of having merely transferred Dickens's characters and incidents from the story to a play. He says, indeed, that he thinks Dickens ought to be grateful to him, for the popularity of the play had greatly extended the fame of the story.

The Pickwickians; or, the Peregrinations of Sam Weller. Arranged from Mr. W. T. Moncrieff's adaptation by T. H. Lacy. London. 1837. (Lacy 315.)

The Pickwick Club. A Burletta in three acts. by E. Stirling. City of London Theatre, April 27, 1837.. (Duncombe.) The Peregrinations of Pickwick, an acting Drama. By William Leman Rede. London, W. Strange. 1837. Bardell v. Pickwick: versified and diversified. Songs and choruses. Words by T. H. Gem. Leamington, 1881. The Great Pickwick Case, arranged as a Comic Operetta. The words of the songs by Robert Pollitt. Manchester, Abel Heywood & Son, 1884.

Bardell v. Pickwick. (Dicks 636.)

Last of the Pickwickiana comes Mr. F. C. Burnand's dramatic Cantata, Pickwick, with music by Mr. Edward Solomon, which was produced at the Comedy Theatre, London, early in 1889. The parts were thus distributed, Pickwick by Mr. Arthur Cecil, Mrs. Bardell by Miss Lottie Venne, and "The Baker" by Mr. Rutland Barrington. This Cantata has not yet been published.

There can be no doubt but that the character of Sam Weller made the fortune of The Pickwick Papers when they first appeared in monthly parts, and sent the circulation up from a poor 400 to 40,000. The germ of this character has been traced back to a play, written by Mr. Samuel Beazley, entitled "The Boarding House, ," and produced at what is now called the Lyceum Theatre, in 1811. That there is a slight resemblance in Simon Spatterdash in this play to Sam Weller cannot be denied, and Dickens may have seen or read the play, and have been struck with the possibility of converting the character of Spatterdash into that of his own immortal Sam.

Oliver Twist; or the Parish Boy's Progress.

A Drama in

three acts. By C. Z. Barnett. First performed at the Pavilion Theatre, May 21, 1838. (S. French.) Oliver Twist. A serio-comic Burletta, in three acts, by

George Almar. Performed at the Royal Surrey Theatre,
London, November 19, 1838. (Dicks 293.)

A similar adaptation, but in four acts, was published in New York.

Bumble's Courtship. From Dickens's "Oliver Twist." A Comic Interlude, in one act. By Frank E. Emson. London. (Lacy.)

Nicholas Nickleby, a Farce in Two Acts. By Edward Stirling. Produced at the Adelphi Theatre, London 1838. (S. French 264.)

Nicholas Nickleby, a Drama in Four Acts. Adapted by H. Simms. First performed at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, 1875. (Dicks 469.)

The Infant Phenomenon ; or, a Rehearsal Rehearsed. A Dramatic Piece in one Act. Being an episode in the adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Adapted by H. Horncastle, and originally produced at the Strand Theatre, London, July 8 1842. (Dicks 572.)

The Fortunes of Smike, or, a Sequel to Nicholas Nickleby; a Drama in Two Acts. By Edward Stirling, London. Adelphi Theatre. London, March 2, 1840. (Webster's Acting Drama 94.)

Nicholas Nickleby; an Episodic Sketch; in three tableaux, based upon an incident in "Nicholas Nickleby." Not published. Strand Theatre, Sept. 10, 1885. Barnaby Rudge. A Domestic Drama, in Three Acts. By Charles Selby and Charles Melville. First performed at the English Opera House, June 28, 1841. (Dicks 393.)

Barnaby Rudge; or, the Murder at the Warren, a Drama in

Three Acts, by Thomas Higgie. No date. (Lacy.) Barnaby Rudge. A Burlesque upon the Version now being played at the Princess's Theatre, London. Hun. November 24, 1865.

Master Humphrey's Clock; a Domestic Drama, in Two Acts. By Frederick Fox Cooper. Victoria Theatre, London, May 26, 1840. (Lacy.)

The Old Curiosity Shop. A Drama in Four Acts. Adapted by George Lander. First produced at the Theatre Royal, York, May 14, 1877. (Dicks 398.)

The Old Curiosity Shop; a Drama in Two Acts. By Edward Stirling. Adelphi Theatre, November 9, 1840. (French 1147.)

The Old Curiosity Shop; a Drama, in Four Acts. Adapted by Mr. Charles Dickens, Junr., from his Father's Novel. Not published. Opera Comique Theatre. 1884. Mrs. Jarley's Far-Famed Collection of Wax-Works, as arranged by G. R. Bartlett. In Two Parts. London. Yankee Notes for English Circulation. A Farce in One Act, by Edward Stirling. Adelphi Theatre. London. 1843. (Duncombe's Theatre.)

Martin Chuzzlewit, a Drama in Three Acts by Charles
Webb. London. (Barth.)

Martin Chuzzlewit; or, his wills and his ways, what he
did, and what he didn't. A Domestic Drama, in Three
Acts, by Thomas Higgie and T. H. Lacy. Lyceum
Theatre, London, July 8, 1844. (S. French 330.)
So says the acting copy, but see next entry:
Martin Chuzzlewit; a Drama in Three Acts. By Edward

Stirling. This, it is stated on the acting copy, was produced at the Lyceum Theatre July 8, 1844. The two versions are unlike, and it is clearly impossible that both could have been produced on the same night at the same theatre. It is probable that Higgie and Lacy's version was that which was produced at the Strand Theatre July 15, 1844. (Duncombe's plays.) Tom Pinch. Domestic Comedy in Three Acts By Joseph

J. Dilley and Lewis Clifton. Vaudeville Theatre,
London, March 10, 1881. (S. French 1803.)

Mrs. Sarah Gamp's Tea and Turn Out; a Bozzian Sketch,
in One Act, by B. Webster. Adelphi Theatre, London,
October 26, 1846. (Webster's Drama 136.)
Tartuffe Junior, Von H. C. L. Klein. Neuwied, 1864.
(A Play in Five Acts after "Martin Chuzzlewit.")
Mrs. Gamp's Party. An adaptation in One Act. Man-
chester. Abel Heywood & Son.

Mrs. Harris. A Farce in One Act, by Edward Stirling. Lyceum Theatre, October, 1846. (Duncombe.)

The Cricket on the Hearth, a Fairy Tale of Home, in two acts. By Edward Stirling. Adelphi Theatre, London, December 31, 1845. (Webster's Drama 124.)

The Cricket on the Hearth; or, a Fairy Tale of Home. A Drama, in three acts. Dramatised by Albert Smith, by the express permission of the Author. First produced at the Lyceum Theatre, 1845, and at the Winter Garden, New York, September 14, 1859. (Dicks 394.)

The Cricket on the Hearth, a Fairy Tale of Home in Three Chirps. By W. T. Townsend. London. (Lacy 649.) This was another version which was produced at the City of London Theatre, January 7, 1846.

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A Christmas Carol; or, the Miser's Warning, by C. Z Barnett. Produced at the Surrey Theatre, February 5, 1844. This adaptation was published with a note stating that the extreme necessity (the consequence of its high and deserved popularity) that so imperatively called for its representation on the stage, has also demanded its publication as a Drama, which it is the Adapter's sincere wish, as it is his conviction, will considerably augment the sale of the original lovely and humanizing creation upon which it is founded." (Lacy 1410. Dicks 722.)

Dot, a Fairy Tale of Home. A Drama in Three Acts, from "The Cricket on the Hearth." Dramatised by Dion Boucicault. Not published.

The Haunted Man, a Drama. Adapted from Charles Dickens's Christmas Story. Not published.

The Chimes, a Goblin Story, of some Bells that rang an Old Year out, and a New Year in; a Drama, in Four Quarters, by Mark Lemon and Gilbert Abbott à Beckett. Adelphi Theatre, London, December 19, 1844. (Webster's Drama 115.)

La Bataille de la Vie. Pièce en Trois Actes, par M. M. Mèlesville et André de Goy. Vaudeville Theatre, Paris, 1853.

The Battle of Life, founded on the Christmas Annual of
Charles Dickens, dramatised by Albert Smith. In
Three Acts and in Verse. Lyceum Theatre, London,
December 21, 1846. (W. S. Johnson.)

The Battle of Life, a Drama in Three Acts, by Edward
Stirling. Surrey Theatre, London. January, 1847.
(Duncombe's Theatre 456.)
Dombey and Son. In three acts. Dramatized by John
Brougham, and produced at Burton's Theatre, New
York, 1850. (Dicks 375. French 126.)

Dombey and Son; or, Good Mrs. Brown, the Child Stealer.
A Drama, in two acts. "From the pen of the inimit-
able Charles Dickens, Esq. As performed at the Royal
Strand Theatre." No date.

An impudent theft, in which many liberties are taken with Dickens's plot. This was published whilst the novel was in progress, and is now very scarce.

Captain Cuttle; a Comic Drama, in one act. By John Bro gham. Burton's Theatre, New York, January 14, 1850. (Dicks 572.)

David Copperfield, a Drama in two acts. Adapted by John Brougham, and first performed at Brougham's Lyceum, January 6, 1851. New York. (French 133. Dicks 374.) David Copperfield, a Drama in three acts, by John Brougham. Brougham's Lyceum Theatre, January 6, 1851. (French.)

Little Emily, a Drama in four acts. Adapted from Dickens's "David Copperfield," by Andrew Halliday. Lady Dedlock's Secret, a Drama in Four Acts. Founded on an episode in "Bleak House," by J. Palgrave Simpson. Opera Comique Theatre, London, March 26, 1884. (French.)

"Move on," or Jo, the Outcast, a Drama in Three Acts. Adapted by James Mortimer. Not published.

Poor Jo, a Drama in Three Acts. Adapted by Terry Hurst. Not published.

Jo, a Drama in Three Acts, by J. P. Burnett. Not published.

Bleak House; or Poor "Jo." A Drama, in Four Acts. Adapted by George Lander. Pavilion Theatre, London, March 27, 1876. (Dicks 388.)

Hard Times. A Domestic Drama, in Three Acts, by T. Fox Cooper. Strand Theatre, London, August 14, 1854. (Dicks.)

No Thorough Fare; a Drama in Five Acts, and a Prologue.
By Charles Dickens and W. Wilkie Collins. Adelphi
Theatre, London, December 25, 1867, and afterwards
in Paris. Printed in New York.

Identity; or, No Thoroughfare. A Drama in Four Acts.
By Louis Lequel. New York. (French.)
L'Abime, drame en cinq actes. (Founded on "No
Thoroughfare.") Paris, 1868.

The Tale of Two Cities; or, the Incarcerated Victim of the Bastille. An Historical Drama, in a Prologue and four acts. Adapted by T. Fox Cooper. First performed at the Victoria Theatre, London, July 7, 1860. (Dicks.) A Tale of Two Cities; a Drama in two acts and a Prologue. By Tom Taylor. Lyceum Theatre, London, January 30, 1860. (Lacy 661.)

The Tale of Two Cities; a Drama in three acts and a Prologue. Adapted by H. J. Rivers. London.

A Message from the Sea, a Drama in Four Acts. Founded on Charles Dickens's tale of that name, by John Brougham. Britannia Theatre, London, 1861. (Dicks 459.)

A Message from the Sea; a Drama in Three Acts. By
Charles Dickens and W. Wilkie Collins. London, 1861.
The Dead Witness; or Sin and its Shadow. A Drama in
Three Acts, by Wybert Reeve, founded on
"The
Widow's Story" of The Seven Poor Travellers, by C.
Dickens. First produced at the Sheffield Theatre.
(S. French 1472.)

Great Expectations, a Drama in Three Acts, and a Prologue. By W. S. Gilbert, Not published.

Dickens himself did not often attempt parody, but his Reports of the Meetings of the "Mudfog Association "are admirable prose burlesques of the early proceedings of the British Association. These originally appeared in "Bentley's Miscellany," but have recently been republished.

SAM WELLER'S ADVENtures.

A Song of the Pickwickians. Who caused the smiles of rich and poor? Who made a hit so slow, but sure? And rose the worth of literature?

Sam Weller.

I'm pretty well known about town,
For to gain a repute is my pride,
Though no vun can doubt my renown,
I'm a covey of polish beside!
I renovates cases for feet,

Whether high-lows or tops is the same,
I turns 'em off hand werry neat,
And Samivel Veller's my name!

In the Borough my trade I dragged on,
Vith no vun to envy my sphere;

I polish'd the soles of each don,
From the cadger bang up to the peer.
Their understandings I greatly improved,
Vot happen'd to fall in the vay;
And many a gen'leman mov'd
To me in the course of the day.

Vun gen'leman-Pickwick, Esquire,
The head of the noted P.C.
Vun day tumbled in to enquire,
If I'd had the fortin to see
A cove vearing Vellington kicks,

And a Miss Rachel Vardle beside,
Vot the gent had lugged off by the nicks,
And promis'd to make her his bride.

I knowed by the cut of his boot,

As the cove had put up at our inn, So Pickwick, without a dispute,

Comes tumbling down with the tin! And me arter that he engages,

To follow him in his careerGood togs and twelve shiners for vages, Paid every annual year.

Some coves when they rises you know,
They stick to vulgarity will;

But that vos my notice below,

'Cos as how I'm a gen'leman still, "For riches is nothing to me,

If ever them I vos among-"

As the gen'leman said, d'ye see,

At the time he vos goin' to be hung!

(For remainder of this old street ballad see p. 276 of The Life and Times of James Catnach, by Charles Hindley. London. Reeves & Turner, 1878.)

IT should have been stated that the Parodies on Dickens, quoted from The World on p. 215, were written by the Rev. W. H. A. Emra, of Salisbury ("New Sarum") and by Mr. Walter Fletcher, of Hornsey. ("Robert le Diable.")

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When Mr. Coventry Patmore's "Angel in the House was first published, the Athenæum furnished the following unique criticism :

"The gentle reader we apprise, that this new Angel in the House Contains a tale not very wise, About a person and a spouse. The author, gentle as a lamb, Has managed his rhymes to fit, And haply fancies he has writ Another In Memoriam.' How his intended gathered flowers, And ook her tea and after sung, Is told in style somewhat like ours, For delectation of the young. But, reader, lest you say we quiz The poet's record of his she, Some little pictures you shall see, Not in our language but in his :

'While thus I grieved and kissed her glove,
My man brought in her note to say

Papa had bid her send his love,

And hoped I dine with them next day;

They had learned and practised Purcell's glee,
To sing it by to-morrow night:

The postscript was-her sisters and she
Inclosed some violets blue and white.

'Restless and sick of long exile,

From those sweet friends I rode, to see
The church repairs, and after a while

Waylaying the Dean, was asked to tea.
They introduced the Cousin Fred

I'd heard of, Honor's favourite; grave,
Dark, handsome, bluff, but gently bred,

And with an air of the salt wave.'

Fear not this saline Cousin Fred; He gives no tragic mischief birth; There are no tears for you to shed, Unless they may be tears of mirth. From ball to bed, from field to farm, The tale flows nicely purling on; With much conceit there is no harm, In the love-legend here begun. The rest will come another day, If public sympathy allows; And this is all we have to say About the Angel in the House.'"'

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OXFORD COMMEMORATION.

"The Encænia," or Commemoration of Founders and Benefactors which took place in June last, was marked by all the customary boisterous merriment on the part of the undergraduates. The ladies were cheered as usual, whilst marks of disapprobation were addressed at all persons whose attire presented any features of singularity. The Vice-Chancellor's Latin address was inaudible on account of the interruptions, many of which were in excessively bad taste. The Proctors were loudly hissed, and called upon to retire, and as they

did not attempt to do so, they were requested to sing a duet.

It is only perhaps in Oxford that such conduct on the part of educated men, presumably gentlemen, would be tolerated; as it was described (in imitation of Carlyle) fifteen years ago, so it remains:

"What is Commemoration? Wherefore? Whereunto? Why? Is it a mere vacuous Inanition, or speck cut out of this little world, or has it not rather contrariwise some Meaning, apart from that which is wrapt up in meness and youness and every-one-else-ness, and two or three more beside?

Nay, is it not Portentous, Big with Signs, with its show Sunday, its Dances, its Encænia and what not?

Is it not a time when it is permitted to Man to wriggle out of the inextricable snares of the Fowler with his Attorney-logic, and the frothy effervescences of defunct and buried-in-dusty tomes Antiquity which are nomen-clated Lectures? And to be Oblivious of these Gehenna-Bailiffs emissaried by professors in Tailor-craft, Wine-craft, and the innumerable other crafts and mysteries ranking under the genus Productive Industry. Aye, and those gaily apparelled young ladies (Madchen) who confluctuate hither as to a Focus, or centre of Attraction, though they themselves are also an Attraction, which is an inextricable mystery of Involvedness; do not these too teach a lesson to the gawks, in whose heads is nothing but the Roots of their World restored Hair, and who imagine that the whole Furniture of that digesting mechanism, Man, is but a Lay-figure, gifted indeed, with struttableness and swagger, on which to hang their Peacock-plumes, fringes, cobwebs, and such.

And there is the Encænia too, with its Chaotic Hubbub of Tympanum-splitting Noise, Undergraduates Noise, Ticket admitted Noise, as it were a sort of Tenfold Bedlam smitten with Interjectional Rabies, of groanings and yelpings, Approbation, Depreciation, and the like."

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Let us take a small extract from his notes on Samuel Prout and William Hunt's loan collection of pictures :

"That little brown-red butterfly [142]...is a piece of real painting; and it is as good as Titian or anybody else ever did, and if you can enjoy it you can enjoy Titian and all other good painters; and if you can't see anything in it you can't see anything in them, and its all affectation and pretence to say that you care about them. And with this butterfly in the drawing I put first, please look at the mug and loaf in the one I have put last of the Hunt series, No. 171. The whole art of painting is in that mug-as the fisherman's

genius was in the bottle. If you can feel how beautiful it is, how ethereal, how heathery, and heavenly, as well as to the uttermost muggy, you have an eye for colour and can enjoy heather, heaven, and everything else below and above. If not, you must enjoy what you can contentedly, but it won't be painting; and in mugs it will be more the beer than the crockery, and on the moors rather grouse than heather."

For those who have neglected the opportunity of testing their taste for art on this butterfly, and on this mug, I would advise a visit to Venice, to learn whether they can appreciate Bassano's hair trunk, as shown in his grand picture of the Pope Alexander and the Doge of Venice. It is not Ruskin, but Mark Twain who thus describes it:

"The hair of this trunk is real hair, so to speak, white in patches, brown in patches. The details are finely worked out; the repose proper to hair in a recumbent and inactive condition, is charmingly expressed. There is a feeling about this part of the work, which lifts it to the highest altitudes of art; the sense of sordid realism vanishes away-one recognizes that there is soul here. View this trunk as you will, it is a gem, it is a marvel, it is a miracle. Some of the effects are very daring, approaching even to the boldest flights of the rococo, the sirocco, and the Byzantine schools. Yet the master's hand never faltersit moves on, calm, majestic, confident; and, with that art which conceals art, it finally casts over the tout ensemble, by mysterious methods of its own, a subtle something which refines, subdues, etherealizes the arid components, and endues them with the deep charm and gracious witchery of poesy. Among the art-treasures of Europe there are pictures which approach the hair trunk-there are two which may be said to equal it, possibly-but there is none that surpasses it."

ON ALL FOURS CLAVIGERA ;

OR, Right at Last.

IT may be remembered that Professor Buskin during the Spring addressed a letter to a provincial paper, respecting the projected new railway for Derbyshire. As he therein expressed some very strong opinions against the scheme, as one likely to give the miserable, melancholy, and toiling millions who dwell in moke-stifling and unwholesome towns, an occasional chance of letting a little bright fresh air and sunlight in upon the gloom of their darkened lives, it is satisfactory to know that the letter in question is now be lieved to have been a clever hoax. At any rate, the zenith of that boon to millions, the summer excursion season has produced a second communication to the same journal: and, as it not only bears the Professor's signature, but breathes with the spirit of his larger philanthropy, there can be little doubt as to its authenticity.

In the course of this second letter, Professor BUSKIN says:

"I do not know how this mental revolution has come about within me, nor, were you to ask me, could I tell you. I only recognise the stupendous fact that I feel, and am not ashamed to avow, that I no longer regard the wild witchery of the Derbyshire glens as a precious and special property held by Providence in trust for me and a few exclusive wellto-do Sybarites for our sole select and selfish delectation.

Here it is, this Derbyshire Garden of Eden, with its magic-lantern-slide effects, lost for ever and for ever to everyone save to you and to me and the lucky Stall-sitters who hold, out of the overflowing fulness of their purses, the front places in the world's glittering show, to the shifting and shutting out of the humbler and poorer from the sight and sense of it."

"Follow, if you can, without wetted feet, the floretted banks and foam-crisp ed wavelets of the slyly wilful stream. Into the very heart and depth of this, and politely bending with the bends of it, your railway introduces its close-clinging attention. The rocks are not big enough to be tunnelled, they are cheerily blasted away; the brook is not wide enough to be bridged, it is comfortably covered in, and is thence-forward no physical obstacle to an enterprising Railway Company. I have not said, I leave the clergyman and physician to say, what moral and sanitary changes follow a free access to the gifts of Nature. But I may, at least, advise your correspondent that envenomed air is deadlier to the young than the old, and that the sooner a completed line of railway enables the pent-up thousands of pestiferous cities to figure as three-and-sixpenny excursionists, if only for a few hours, amidst these hitherto inaccessible fairy haunts, the sooner will English children who have been reared in mephitic fume instead of mountain breeze, who have had for playground heaps of ashes instead of banks of flowers, whose Christmas holidays brought them no memory, whose Easter sun no hope, enjoy some of the blessed delight of breezy hillside and sunlit glen hitherto claimed as the special and peculiar heirloom of that unreasoning and wrong-headed class who, singing the sweet song of Nature's praise, defame that priceless metal line which, like some mighty wizard, alone has borne their welcome echo to a myriad aching city hearts."

Punch. August 23, 1884.

ON TOOTHPICKS.

By Professor Buskin.

I CAME the other day quite by chance on this piece of news in my Daily Telegraph :-"It is said that no less than 25 millions of Toothpicks are annually made in England. This is just one to each person." "Just one?" No, there is no justice here, it is all injustice. Think of this-25 millions, and think further of the 25 millions of Englishmen who can use them. Yes, this is what England has come to be-a nation of Toothpickers; for mark this, each man can use a toothpick if he will; if he can by fair means or fonl (too often, alas, by foul !) obtain the paltry coin to purchase the Tooth-pick with.

But then these dilettanti-scribblers, these writers in the newspapers who are paid for their scribbling, these folk (forsooth!) say, "what have you to do with this-this Toothpicking?" I answer we have all to do with it. For hear, yea, and forbear with me a minute while I speak to you of this same Toothpicking.

Friends, it comes to this. Picking is a natural attribute of man. He must throughout life be a picker. But now comes the momentous question, a picker of what? A picker of knowledge, a dabbler in all the 'ologies, an admirable Crichton, veriest of prigs, or a picker of locks, a redhanded burglar, a hero of penny novels, or will he be a picker of teeth, a drawling vacuity weary of himself, weary of every thing, an inane hanger on to the skirts of the Universe? Will not the brave man, the wise man, the man of resolve, of energy, of endurance, a picker of roads, will he not go forth to beautify Hincksey, to plant the new

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