? Those two dear little tots having their tea, and the kitten
with its head stuck in the jam-pot, and the label and all, and the
sticky spoon on the nursery table-cloth--so _natural_! I really _must_
mark that. (_Awards this distinction._) 97. "_Going up Top._" Yes,
_of course_. Look, LUCY dear, that little fellow has just answered a
question, and his master tells him he may go to the top of the class,
do you _see_? And the big boy looking so sulky, he's wishing he
had learnt his lesson better. I do think it's _so_ clever--all the
different expressions. Yes, I shall _certainly_ mark that!

IN GALLERY NO. II.

_The S. L. (doubtfully)._ H'm, No. 156. "_Cloud Chariots_"? Not very
_like_ chariots, though, _are_ they?

_Her Friend._ I expect it's one of those sort of pictures that you
have to look at a long time, and then things gradually come _out_ of
it, you know.

_The S. L._ It may be. (_Tries the experiment._) No, _I_ can't
make _anything_ come out--only just clouds and their reflections.
(_Struggling between good-nature and conscientiousness._) I _don't_
think I _can_ mark that.

IN GALLERY NO. III.

_A Matron (before_ Mr. DICKSEE'S "_Tannhaeuser_"). "_Venus and
Tannhaeuser_"--ah, and is that Venus on the stretcher? Oh, _that's_ her
all on fire in the background. Then which is Tannhaeuser, and what are
they all supposed to be doing? [_In a tone of irritation._

_Her Nephew._ Oh, it tells you all about it in the Catalogue--he meets
her funeral, you know, and leaves grow on his stick.

_The Matron (pursing her lips)._ Oh, a _dead person_.

[_Repulses the Catalogue severely and passes on._

_First Person, with an "Eye for Art" (before "Pysche's Bath," by the
President)._ Not bad, eh?

_Second Person, &c._ No, I rather like it. (_Feels that he is growing
too lenient._) He doesn't give you a very good idea of marble, though.

_First P. &c._ No--_that's_ not marble, and he always puts too many
folds in his drapery to suit _me_.

_First P. &c._ Just what _I_ always say. It's not natural, you know.
[_They pass on, much pleased with themselves and one another._

_A Fiance (halting before a sea-scape, by_ Mr. HENRY MOORE, _to
Fiancee_). Here, I say, hold on a bit--what's _this_ one?

_Fiancee (who doesn't mean to waste the whole afternoon over
pictures)._ Why, it's only a lot of waves--_come_ on!

_The Surburban L._ LUCY, _this_ is rather nice. "_Breakfasts for
the Porth!_" (_Pondering._) I