ssisting them to
solve the usual British vagaries of speech; like the commencement of
the Dictionary, it is quite an "A1" book.

"Dear Diary!" as one of Mr. F.C. PHILLIPS's heroines used to
address her little book, but DE LA RUE's are not "dear Diaries," nor
particularly cheap ones. This publisher is quite the Artful Dodger in
devising diaries in all shapes and sizes, from the big pocket-book to
the more insidious waistcoat-pocket booklet,--"small by degrees, but
beautifully less."

"Here's to you, TOM SMITH!"--it's BROWN in the song, but no
matter,--"Here's to you," sings the Baron, "with all my heart!" Your
comic gutta-percha-faced Crackers are a novelty; in fact, you've
solved a difficulty by introducing into our old Christmas Crackers
several new features.

This year the Baron gives the prize for pictorial amusement to LOTHAR
MEGGENDORFER (Gods! what a name!), who, assisted by his publishers,
GREVEL & CO., has produced an irresistibly funny book of movable
figures, entitled _Comic Actors_. What these coloured actors do is so
moving, that the spectators will be in fits of chuckling. Recommended,
says THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

* * * * *

"WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS."

ARGUMENT.--EDWIN has taken ANGELINA, his _fiancee_, to an
entertainment by a Mesmerist, and, wishing to set his doubts at
rest, has gone upon the platform, and placed himself entirely at the
Mesmerist's disposition. On rejoining ANGELINA, she has insisted upon
being taken home immediately, and has cried all the way back in the
hansom--much to EDWIN's perplexity. They are alone together, in a
Morning-room; ANGELINA is still sobbing in an arm-chair, and EDWIN is
rubbing his ear as he stands on the hearthrug.

_Edwin_. I say, ANGELINA, don't go on like this, or we shall have
somebody coming in! I wouldn't have gone up if I'd known it would
upset you like this; but I only wanted to make quite sure that the
whole thing was humbug, and--(_complacently_)--I rather think I
settled that.

_Ang._ (_in choked accents_). You settled that?--but _how?_... Oh, go
away--I can't bear to think of it all! [_Fresh outburst._

_Ed._ You're a little nervous, darling, that's all--and you see, I'm
all right. I felt a little drowsy once, but I knew perfectly well what
I was about all the time.

_Ang._ (_with a bound_). You knew?--then you _were_ pretending--and
you call that a good joke! _Oh!_

_Ed._ Hardly pretending. I just sat stil