"can furnish scant delight,
The Race for Wealth is rapid.
How can the feverish rush find true relief
In heartless intercourse, as bald as brief,
Amusement vain as vapid?"

"Amusement? Intercourse? They scarce exist."
The Shadow answered. "Some Boeotian mist
Society blinds and muddles.
True recreation in this joyless round?
The sea's bright changefulness as soon were found
In Pedlington's rain-puddles.

"The cliques and coteries know not how to mix.
A barrier more impassable than Styx
Is Philistine stupidity.
Were mutual amusement meeting's aim,
Mind _must_ move maidenhood inert and tame,
Melt masculine rigidity.

"Concourse, not intercourse, is what you see:
To mix, and sympathise, and to be free,
Is the true sociality.
These meet, like marbles mingled in a bag,
And the net outcome, friend, is friction, fag,
Boredom, and sheer banality.

"The strongest symptom of quick life crops out
In watchful mutual mockery. Gibe and flout
In low asides flow freely.
Oh, bland elysium for the brave and fair,
Whose pleasures are the snigger and the stare,
Chill snub, and eye-glance steely!

"Prigdom's Philistia, though a polished State,
Has not yet learned quite how to recreate.
Gath in the ball-room gathers,
Askelon haunts 'At homes,' but little joy
Bring they to man or matron, girl or boy,
To swells or City-fathers."

(_To be continued._)

* * * * *

AU REVOIR!

Mr. PUNCH _and_ Mr. J. L. TOOLE _discovered smoking a last cigar_.

_Mr. P._ And so, my dear JOHNNIE, you are leaving us at once?

_Mr. J. L. T._ Yes, Sir, but I hope soon to be back again. I am looking
forward to the voyage as an excellent digestive to all the luncheons,
dinners, and suppers I have been taking for the last five or six weeks.

_Mr. P._ I have no doubt they have been a little trying--eh, JOHNNIE?

_Mr. J. L. T._ And yet, as I have observed in the _Upper Crust_, "they
were very welcome." But, Sir, how did I get through my oratory? Did you
notice my speeches at the Garrick and the Savage? Which did you prefer?

_Mr. P._ I heard the first, and read a report of the second, and can
conscientiously declare they were equally good.

_Mr. J. L. T._ I am glad to hear you say so, Sir. I confess I didn't
think there was _much_ to choose between them. And now (_with deep
emotion_), will you excuse my glove?

_Mr. P._ N