to account.  As a rule, he affects the society of those who are intellectually dull in order that he may pass with them for a man of immense culture and unfathomable sagacity.  Over the third long drink provided for him by an admiring associate of this sort, he will grow eloquent, and his conversation will sparkle with reminiscences of leading articles he may once have written, and anticipations of others that he proposes to write.  Those who hear him on such occasions will opine that he is a man of genius, who is only prevented by the carelessness of a Gallio from becoming a statesman of the first rank.

A little later he will rise still higher, and will become the almost recognised medium through which really fashionable intelligence is converted into common knowledge.  In this position he will allow nothing to escape him, and if one of the highest persons in the land should invite six friends to dinner, their names will on the following morning be known to the Jack of all Journalisms.  It is unnecessary to say that in the course of this career he acquires, not only notoriety, but enemies, who watch eagerly for the false step that shall bring him to the ground.  In spite of his craft, he is inevitably driven from boldness into rashness, and after waging a fruitless war against rascals more accomplished than himself, he, with a courage that scarcely atones for his imprudence, enters the witness-box, and, a flood of light having been thrown upon his past career, he finds himself for two nights blazoned in enormous letters on the posters of the evening papers, and is compelled, in the end, to submit to an adverse verdict, and to retire, “it may be for years or it may be for ever,” from the open practice of a profession in which he had so distinguished himself.

* * * * *

ACCORDING TO A RECENT PRECEDENT.

    [Her Majesty’s Servants are invited to cheer the
    Queen.—­Official Invitation.]

Soldiers.  Not us—­we want more food!

Sailors.  Belay there—­give us more liberty ashore!

C.S.  Clerks.  Can’t attend to private business during office hours—­redress our grievances!

Postmen.  Don’t care a rap—­groans as before—­haven’t changed our sentiments!

Police.  Move on with that there request—­just mind your own business, and look after our pensions!

Inland Revenue Receivers.  No!  That’s the only Tax that needn’t be paid!

* * * * *

DISTINGUISHED UNIONISTS.—­On Saturday next, at Westminster Abbey, Mr. H.M.  STANLEY, the founder of the “Congo Free State,” enters the “Can’t-go Free State.”

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.