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ridicule, we all know, but probably you are not aware that these particular poems are considered quite wonderful by all competent judges. Indeed, my sister-in-law

All (in consternation). Lady CANTIRE! Is she the author? Oh, of course, if we'd had any idea!

Lady Culv. I've no reason to believe that Lady CANTIRE ever composed any poetry. I was only going to say that she was most interested in the author, and as she and my niece MAISIE are coming to us this evening

Miss Spelw. Dear Lady CULVERIN, the verses are quite, quite beautiful; it was only the way they were read.

Lady Culv. I am glad to hear you say so, my dear, because I'm also expecting the pleasure of seeing the author here, and you will probably be his neighbour to-night. I hope, BERTIE, that you will remember that this young man is a very distinguished genius; there is no wit that I can discover in making fun of what one doesn't happen to understand. [She passes on.

Bertie (plaintively, after Lady CULVERIN has left the room). May I trouble somebody to scrape me up? I'm pulverised! But really, you know, a real live poet at Wyvern! I say, Miss SPELWANE, how will you like to have him dabbling his matted head next to you at dinner, eh?

Miss Spelw. Perhaps I shall find a matted head more entertaining than a smooth one. And if you've quite done with that volume, I should like to have a look at it. [She retires with it to her room. Archie (to himself). I'm not half sorry this Poet-johnny's comin'; I never caught a Bard in a booby-trap yet.

Capt. Thick. (to himself). She's coming this very evening! And I was nearly sayin' I must get back to Aldershot!

Lady Rhoda. So Lady CANTIRE's comin'; we shall all have to be on our hind legs now! But MAISIE's a dear thing. Do you know her, Captain THICKNESSE!

Capt. Thick. I-I used to meet Lady MAISIE MULL pretty often some time ago; don't know if she 'll remember it, though.

Lady Rhoda. She'll love meetin' this writin' man-she's so fearfully romantic. I heard her say once that she'd give anythin' to be idealised by a great poet-sort of-what's their namesPETRARCH and LAURA business, don't you know. It will be rather amusin' to see whether it comes off-won't it?

Capt. Thick. (choking). I-ah-no affair of mine, really. (To himself.) I'm not intellectual enough for her, I know that. Suppose I shall have to stand by and look on at the Petrarchin'. Well, there's always Aldershot!

[The luncheon gong sounds, to the general relief and satisfaction.

TO THE OXFORD CRICKET CAPTAIN.
"100, Not Out." Monday, July 2, 1894.
CONGRATULATIONS, Mr. C. B. FRY,
You neatly wiped the Cantab Light Blue eye,
And well deserved the fashionable shout
Which hailed you for your century, not out.
For your exploits, what language is too tall?
At cricket good alike with bat and ball,
Full back at football (that's Association),
At jumping lengthways-well, you lick creation.
In Schools no idler when stern duty calls,
Already having got a First in "Smalls."
Yes, Oxford surely boasts to-day in you,
Her most distinguished son, a Triple Blue.
The Lord's good wicket made a scoring high day,
But you yourself turned Monday into Fry-day!

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OPERATIC NOTES.

IT strikes me forcibly that the Wagnerian idea has influenced all recent compositions. Nothing is now done without a "motive." It may be a good motive, or a bad motive, or an inadequate motive, or an indifferent motive; but motive there must be with our most modern school of composers, who, adopting the Wagnerian idea, (not in itself a purely original one,) and improving on it, attribute less importance to the Act" than to the "motive," though by a reflex action the scheme of the Act suggests, organises, and it may be added, orchestrates the "motives." L'Attaque du Moulin is a practical example

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of this theory. It is not styled an opera but a lyric drama in four acts. It is founded by M. LOUIS GALLET on ZOLA's story; it is reduced to plain English by Mr. WEATHERLY; the music is by ALFRED BRUNEAU; and for the stage management, which has so largely conduced to its success, Sir AUGUSTUS DRURIOLANUS is responsible. It is not what the sporting papers term "a merry mill," though there is plenty of fighting. There are some songs in it, and there are some melodiesor mill-odies - which

may catch on when heard a second or third time; but they certainly
do not arrest the attention at a first hearing. The music, I judge,
only from the one representation, seems lacking in those catching-on
airs which, coupled with the admirable acting of the principals,
made the fortune, sur le champ, of the Cavalleria Rusticana. But
a wind-mill" without any air" can't be expected to "go."
Madame DELNA is forcibly dramatic, true, but not powerful as a
singer, at least in Covent Garden. Nor is there in the character of this
Maid of the Mill any such great opportunity whereby to test the power
of the actress as there is in the part of Santuzza, or of Anita
in La Navarraise. Madame DELNA may be all that enthusiastic re-
porters have said she is, but she must have a great deal of power in
reserve, for the display of which this opera does not offer the chance.
Mons. BOUVET as Merlier, the Miller, who "created" the part in Paris,
is good, but his acting is somewhat monotonous. Madame DE NUO-
VINA as Françoise, is a young Lady Macbeth, who gives the dagger
and does not request that it may be returned to her again when done.
with. M. BONNARD, as the Singing Sentinel, reminding me of
GILBERT and SULLIVAN'S Sentinel" with a song" in one of the Savoy
Series, was very good; and Mons. CoSSIRA, excellent as the escaping
prisoner, bore so strong a resemblance to the Director of the Fortunes
of Covent Garden and Drury Lane, that people looked twice at their
programmes in order to be quite sure that an apology for the singer
had not been made, and that the much-talented Sir DRURIOLANUS had
not, at the shortest possible notice, consented to be his "remplaçant."
Mons. ALBERS, as the German Captain, ought to be in receipt of a
very large salary, seeing "how wide he opens his mouth
singing. All were good in the best of all possible operatic entertain-
ments, including the unequalled orchestra conducted by M. PH.
FLON, (is this" Phlon-FLON"?) who has taken his turn with Signori
BEVIGNANI, MANCINELLI, and Mr. FREDERIC COWEN, the last-
mentioned coming to look after his new Opera of Signa, in which
Madame DE NUOVINA was charming, and Signor BENJAMINO DAVIESO
appeared as the Anglo-Italian Tenor. Congratulations to Signor
FREDERICO COWENI.

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when

ANARCHIST ATTEMPT ON A WELL-KNOWN BRIDGE.-After several failures, the Hampton Court Bridge was shot yesterday evening by a young man, supposed to be an Anarchist, whose name and address remain a profound secret, as, owing to his having taken his outrigger by the hour, and, having paid his shot, there was no excuse for his Saturday night. Elaine. "If it's not very lively," observes Sir detention by the assistants in charge of the boats. He had been AUGUSTUS beforehand, still it must be remembered that I have dining freely at a neighbouring hostelrie, the sign of which being not only at heart the interests and in pocket the interest-of Covent "The Mitre," suggested to the intelligent detective in charge of the Garden, but also of Drear Elaine.' Should it prove a joyous opera case the probability of the wretched youth being a dine-à-mitre." "and attract the people, then I shall consider it as an example of Furnished with this clue, the police are on his track. Fortunately Drawer-Elaine' at Covent Garden. But now-hark!-let us not the bridge escaped without injury, and this morning it not only trifle with time and tune. MANCINELLI is raising his bâton, up goes crossed the river itself without difficulty, but assisted many travel- the curtain, and all in to begin. Nous verrons.' And the "all" lers to do the same. includes the Prince and Princess of WALES and their two unmarried daughters, and a very good house indeed. "And how is Elaine?" is the question. Very well, thank you, and much better than she was two years ago," is the reply. Elaine is decidedly thinner. One Act gone, and other judicious cuts have reduced her. The opera is consequently lighter. Due weight, however, is given to it by Madame MELBA and JEAN DE RESZKÉ. DRURIOLANUS has followed the precedent of "cutting the 'osses." But the "cackle" of geese

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ASPIRATION.-A youthful rhymist, inspired by the Derby, wishes to become a Sporting Poet. Poet' and Prophet,'" he learnedly observes, "meant about the same thing in Homeric times; and, indeed, in most prophecies of coming events on the turf I have generally found more of poetry than of profit." The modest rhymster says, that as he can never hope to be first in the field of poetry, "he may at least become a second Ossy-'un."

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I followeth not. On the contrary, the applause is abundant.

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Hostess. OH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVELY MUSIC, HERR BLUMENTOFF! IT'S JUST WHAT I LIKE. WITH THE CONVERSATION WITHOUT IN THE LEAST INTERRUPTING IT!"

WAITING THEIR TURN.

(In the Hot Room, St. Stephen's Baths,

Westminster.)

Bath-Man, loquitur:

POUF! 'Tis slow work! Were I a Turk, Fancy I'd put it through more expeditiously!

Poor little Bills! Funkiness fills

All their small souls! See 'em glancing suspiciously,

Timid and torrid! Finding it horrid Waiting their turns for shampooing and plunging

Parboiled and limp, each, as a shrimp; No great result for my long scurryfunging!!!

Faith, I am tired! Been much admired

For my long patience with Big BILLY He got it hot! Worrying lot [BUDGET. Some of these fellows. But BILLY will trudge it

Pretty soon, now. Splosh!!! What a row! BILLY is bulky, and makes a big splashing. Head-first he goes, kicks up his toes,

All that is left after boiling and washing. Thanks be he's through! What'll I do

Next, and which of 'em in waiting seems readiest?

I'm so restricted! Little "EVICTED,"

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Nice state o' things! Much rather boss Bosphorus !

Wish I had wings! small Bath by the

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IT BLENDS SO PERFECTLY

AT LAST.

At last the sky is actually blue.
Say not dull, hazy, cloudy, overcast,'
O weather prophets, "fine" alone is true
At last.

At last, as June is finishing, the Row

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Looks bright and gay. The difference 18
vast;
The sunlit grass, the rhododendrons g'ov
At last.

Sixes and sevens now at St. Stephen's!
Running it all the year round at a loss-At last my topper flies not in the gale,

for us!

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[Mr. GRANT ALLEN and several other advanced Small Irish bhoy, seems I fancy the politicians have started a new party, the members

steadiest.

'EQUALISATION?" His perspiration Something prodigious, and yet-well-the other!

Oh! English, Scotch, Welsh, they all look like squelch,

And the task of selection is truly a bother!

Had I free choice,-Ah! but my voice

Only counts one nowadays in selection.

of which are to be called Isocrats, a title very similar to one coined by COLERIDGE for a society which he desired to found on principles of general equality.-Daily Paper.]

MANY have heard of Pantisocracy,

A compound crude of COLERIDGE and cant, The latest products of Democracy

Dub themselves Isocrats without the 'Tis as it should be, is it not, ["pant." For what are they but sans-culottes ?

I gazing on its ruin quite aghast, Nor gets all spotted after rain or hail, At last.

At last it rests serenely on my brow,

As firm as colours nailed to any mast; In fact it's somewhat hot and heavy now, At last.

At last you sport your thinnest frocks, fair maid, Sweet CHLOE, PHYLLIS, PYRRHA, prim or fast. Now AMARYLLIS dallies in the shade At last.

At last NEERA's hair is undisturbed, Not out of curl from damp, nor by the blast

In tangles blown. She smiles quite unperturbed

At last.

At last. But soon the rain, the fog, the haze May spoil light frocks that now sweep gaily past.

For tempora mutantur; such fine days
Can't last.

TRAVELLING MOTTO AT HOLIDAY TIME."Too many Cooks (tourists) spoil the Con tinent."

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PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI-JULY 14, 1894.

WAITING

THEIR TURN.

(In the Hot Room, St. Stephen's Baths, Westminster.)

CHIEF ATTENDANT H-RC-RT (to himself). "WHICH SHALL I TAKE NEXT?"

SWA'NSI

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