cab, 'bus, lodging-house and graveyard,
Of the good times when every Anglo-Saxon's
House was his castle.

Say, hapless sufferer, was it MR. CHADWICK--
Underground foe to the British Constitution--
Or my LORD SHAFTESBURY, put up MR. FITZROY
Thus to assail you?

Was it the growth of Continental notions,
Or was it the Metropolitan police force
Prompted this blow at _Laissez-faire_, that free and
Easiest of doctrines?

Have you not read MR. TOULMIN SMITH'S great work on
Centralisation? If you haven't, buy it;
Meanwhile I should be glad at once to hear your
View on the subject.

_Cab-driver._

View on the subjeck? jiggered if I've got one;
Only I wants no centrylisn', I don't--
Which I suppose it's a crusher standin' sentry
Hover a cabstand.

Whereby if we gives e'er a word o' cheek to
Parties as rides, they pulls us up like winkin'--
And them there blessed beaks is down upon us
Dead as an 'ammer!

As for MR. TOULMIN SMITH, can't say I knows him--
But as you talks so werry like a gem'man,
Perhaps you're a goin' in 'ansome style to stand a
Shillin' a mile, Sir?

_Friend of Self-Government._

I give a shilling? I will see thee hanged first--
Sixpence a mile--or drive me straight to Bow Street--
Idle, ill-mannered, dissipated, dirty,
Insolent rascal!

* * * * *

PEDESTRIANISM AT ST. STEPHEN'S.

Members of the House of Commons, being in the Library, or elsewhere
about the House, have to run for it in order to be present at divisions,
and are sometimes too late. Lightness of heels (as well as of principle)
appears to be a quality necessary to a representative of the British
people. An election contest might be an actual footrace. Why not? The
candidate that is able to outrun his opponent is at least as fit and
proper a man to represent a constituency, as he is who can outbribe him.
However this may be, we expect soon to see some such arrangements as the
following among the Parliamentary notices:--

THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY will run JOSEPH HUME, or any other Member, on
the India question; or what not.

FREDERICK LUCAS, the Scarlet Runner, will match himself with PHI