Banquet._)

"You do not know the number of muzzled Ciceros who are sitting in
the House of Commons, men who have come from the constituencies
conscious of their power, anxious to render service to the
State."--_Mr. Goschen at the Mansion House._

WHAT if garrulity be rife,
And what if bald debate,
Spun out in empty Party strife,
Has sealed the Session's fate!
What if the tap-room jest has sped,
And hot retort has stirred,
While threats to punch a Member's head
Have been distinctly heard!
Ah, what?--If but the House disclose
A score of Muzzled Ciceros!

What if things are not as they were
Some twenty years ago;
And manners that might make one stare
Are now thought _comme il faut_;
What if the tongue of Billingsgate,
The grace of Seven Dials,
Now modestly subserve the State?
There's one at them who smiles,
And points to where there sit in rows
A score of Muzzled Ciceros!

* * * * *

NAUTICAL SUPERSTITION.--Mr. DAVID JONES, of the Welsh Mercantile Marine,
Shipowner, proposed to call a vessel recently completed the
_Eisteddfod_. A Saxon seaman objected to that as an unlucky name,
because any ship so denominated would be sure to spring a leek.

* * * * *

All the Difference.

"Every Poet hates to be called 'Mr.'"--_Globe._

FORMALITY sometimes is Scorn's twin sister--
The prefix to the Poet means disaster;
But though no Bard would be addressed as "Mister,"
How they all love to be addressed as "Master!"

* * * * *

WHY HE WENT.

SOME doubts having been expressed in influential quarters as to the
genuine character of the Manifesto alleged to have been recently put
forth to the European Powers by Prince FERDINAND on his entry into
Bulgaria, the following, whatever subsequent changes may have been
diplomatically introduced into it prior to publication, may be
confidently regarded as an authentic transcript of that document in its
original form.

_To the Crowned Heads of Europe, and others whom it does or does not
concern, greeting, &c._

Be it known to those who have been interested in, and somewhat mystified
by our recent movements, that we, FERDINAND THE FIRST, by the voice of
the Regents, and the will of the Great Sobranje, elected Monarch of
Bulgaria, wishing to make clear and explain why that we, having
originally h