ir,
and trot round in circles, after which they exhibit Dutch-metalled
walking-sticks to one another with sombre pride. Furies trip measures
and strike attitudes in pink tights and draperies of unaesthetic hues,
when not engaged in witnessing, with qualified interest, incidental
dances by two _premieres danseuses._ Hades evidently less dull than
generally supposed.

* * * * *

SUGGESTION.--Curious that no enterprising shaving-soap proprietor
has as yet, as far as we know, advertised his invention as "_Tabula
Rasa."_ This is worth thousands, and takes the cake--of soap.

* * * * *

QUIS NOMINABIT?

(_Being a few Remarks a Apropos of a "British Academy of Letters_.")

MR. PUNCH, SIR,

I have been reading with some morbid interest a series of
contributions to the pages of a contemporary from several more
or less distinguished literary men who have apparently been
invited to express their opinions, favourable or the reverse,
on the recently launched proposition to establish in our
midst, after the French model, a "British Academy of Letters."
Some ask, "What's the use?" Others want to know who is to
elect the elected, and seem much exercised in their minds
as to the status and qualifications of those who ought to
be chosen for the purpose of discharging this all-important
function. As to what would be the use of an institution of
the kind, the answer is so obvious that I will not attempt to
reply to it. But if it comes to naming a representative body
capable of selecting the two or three thousand aspirants
who have already, in imagination, seen their claims to the
distinction recognised by the elective body to which has been
entrusted the duty of weighing their respective merits--well
then, to use a colloquial phrase, I may confidently say that
"I am all there!"

Of course. Royalty must head it, so I head the list of, say,
twelve Academic Electors, with the name of H.R.H. the Prince
of WALES. This should be followed up by that of some generally
widely-known personage, who has the literary confidence of
the public, and in this connection, I have no hesitation in
supplying it by that of the Compiler of _Bradshaw's Railway
Guide_. Several now should follow, of varied and even
conflicting interests, so as to satisfy any over-captious
critic