syndicalism, guild-control, proletariats, sunspots
and even Mr. SMILLIE. If you are a poet, and we are all poets nowadays,
you dream yourself into a punt on the Sonning backwater, wondering if
the summer was ever so amazing before, nearly being shipwrecked on
a sandy spit, startling moorfowl or it may be dabchicks, sending a
_frisson_ into the fritillaries, losing and regaining your punt-pole,
always believing that the next bend ---- Mr. FILSON YOUNG must really
finish the sentence.

If you are a musician and an occultist you will, by due concentration of
your pineal gland and pituitary body, rise with the rapidity of a HAWKER
to astral altitudes immune from all mundane disquiet. You will notice
---- However, this is best, left to Mr. CYRIL SCOTT or Sir RABINDRANATH
TAGORE or Sir OLIVER LODGE. But if you are a mere listener you will
listen and be thankful. But if you never go to concerts you will still
be able, by the aid of the New Criticism, to attain to an ecstasy of
appreciation far greater than if you had relied on the crude medium of
your senses.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Niece_. "BUT AREN'T YOU GOING TO GIVE THAT NICE PORTER A
TIP, AUNTIE? HE'S AN OLD SOLDIER."

_Aunt_. "_EXACTLY_, MY DEAR. MUCH TOO POLITE TO BE UNPLEASANT TO ONE."]

* * * * *

THE CONSCRIPTION OF BRAINS.

PROGRESS OF THE COMMISSION.

The Literary section of the Nationalisation Commission met last Friday.
Before evidence was taken the Chairman, Mr. ROBERT WILLIAMS, said that
as their Report must be delivered in less than a week the Commission had
decided not to summon Lord MORLEY, Lord ROSEBERY or Mr. THOMAS HARDY,
but hoped in the few days still available, to hear the evidence of Sir
THOMAS HALL CAINE, Lady WARWICK, Mrs. BARCLAY, Mr. SPACKMAN and Mr.
SMILLIE.

Mr. EDWARD MARSH read an interesting Report on the State Remuneration of
Poets. He was of opinion that poets, if they could be shown to be of the
authentic Georgian brand, ought to be secured a reasonable salary quite
irrespective of the views which they expressed. They must never be
expected to glorify or approve of the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, but
should be perfectly free to criticise or attack him. No attempt should
be made to impose any metrical constraint on their verse. But he thought
it desirable that for the purpose of bringing them to the notice of
the public a State chaperon should be appointed to prov