ages to HER MAJESTY'S
under servants in connexion with St. Martin's-le-Grand.

But it would really be almost a saving if the Government were to give
the postmen a reasonable hire. When MERCURY the messenger turns MERCURY
the thief, and, tempted by want, steals half-a-sovereign, marked by MR.
SCULTHORPE, out of the letter he is intrusted with, getting himself, by
that act, into the dock at the Assizes, and thence into penal servitude,
he costs the country, from first to last, more than would have sufficed
to maintain several honest MERCURIES during the same time in blue and
scarlet and respectability.

That the proposal, alike judicious and handsome, for making up for
Government's stinginess to the letter carriers by private liberality,
should have emanated from MESSRS. WILSON AND MATHESON of Glasgow, is a
fact that adds a feather to the cap of Scotland, and if acted upon by
their countrymen, will render it impossible any longer to withhold the
position on the Royal Standard, which is claimed by that sagacious and
noble animal the Scottish Lion.

* * * * *

THE POST-OFFICE DIRECTORY.

The companion volume to the above elegant publication is the "_Almanach
des 25,000 Addresses_," published at Paris. We do not know who is the
Editor of that interesting volume, in which may be found some of the
greatest names in French literature and science, but we should say that
no one would be better qualified for the task than the BRITISH DRAMA, as
no one, as our stage can testify, can possibly be acquainted with a
greater number of _French cribs_.

* * * * *

THE CZAR'S ITERATION.

The EMPEROR OF RUSSIA'S lying manifesto concludes with a quotation from
a Psalm. This is only fresh proof that old NICHOLAS can quote Scripture
for his purpose.

* * * * *

THE MOST CURIOUS THING.--A woman not being curious!

* * * * *

CURE FOR SMOKY CHILDREN

"MY DEAR MR. PUNCH,

"My son HENRY--who promised to be such a good young man--has, I am sorry
to say, acquired that _nasty dirty_ habit of smoking tobacco, in which
he indulges from morning till night: such a pity at his time of life!
for he is not of age yet. In the _Times_ the other day I saw a letter
about the Smoke Nuisance, proposing to cure it by 'very frequent feeding
in small quantities, and a reward for no smoke.' Do you think, now, it
would be possib