the Honourable and Learned Member for
Padlock," or "the Gallant and Distinguished representative of
Tea-caddy." We do not quite understand the principle of election that
can prevail in the Isle of Man, if its council consists of nothing but a
bunch of keys; and we are rather puzzled to guess whether the franchise
attaches to persons or things, and whether it would be the door or the
owner of the door, the watch or the owner of the watch, that would send
"a Key" to Parliament. There is one peculiarity of result in having a
House of Keys instead of a House of Commons; for, of course, in an
assembly where the members are all keys they would be unable to deal
with any open question. Perhaps, however, we may have mistaken the sort
of "Keys" of which the "House" in the Isle of Man is composed, and the
members may be mere musical "keys"--a set of sharps and flats, playing
any tune, just like any other house of representatives. We cannot
conclude without remarking that a very long debate in "the House of
Keys" would remind one of "a lock jaw," though the association is not
agreeable.

* * * * *

CONJURING AT CHOBHAM.

Alarmists needlessly we are not, and would never prematurely frighten
any nervous reader. But we really think it is our duty to apprise the
nation, that on paying a visit to the Camp the other evening, we
discovered that the men were all turned in-to straw!

[Illustration: A GOOD JOKE.

_Russian._ "OH, IT'S MY FUN! I ONLY WANT TO FRIGHTEN THE LITTLE
FELLOW."]

* * * * *

THE POTMAN AND THE PRAETOR.--(A LAY OF THE MIDDLESEX SESSIONS).

_See Times, July 14._

FLATULEIUS, the advocate,
His client's cause hath sped,
And ADAMUS, the stern Praetor,
Hath reared his learned head;
He hath summed up to the jury
With digressions, by the way,
On juvenile offenders
And the topics of the day.

Till BIBULUS, the foreman,
That was beer-bemused before,
By the Praetor's various learning
Is mystified still more;
And with the eleven, his comrades,
More obfuscate e'en than he,
Hath been led forth by the lictor,
On their verdict to agree.

They have sworn another jury,
They have called another case,
An hour hath passed, but BIBULUS
Hath not yet shown his face,
And the learned Praetor wonders
What the fools can be about,
For he told them what their verdict
Ought to be when they w