that springs not from my mind: 
  I’ve studied entomology, astronomy, conchology,
    And every other ’ology that anyone can find. 
      I am a man of science, with my bottles on the shelf,
      I’m game to make a little world, and govern it myself.

  I’m a demon at dissection, and I’ve always had affection
    For a curious collection from both animals and man: 
  I’ve a lovely pterodactyle, some old bones a little cracked, I’ll
    Get some mummies, and in fact I’ll pounce on anything I can. 
  I’m full of lore botanical, and chemistry organical,
    I oft put in a panic all the neighbours I must own: 
  They smell the fumes and phosphorus from London to the Bosphorus: 
    Oh, sad would be the loss for us, had I been never known. 
      I am a man of science, with my bottles on the shelf;
      I’m game to make a little world, and govern it myself.

* * * * *

OUR OTHER “WILLIAM.”—­Question by the G.O.M. on quitting the North,—­“Stands Scotland where it did?”

* * * * *

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

[Illustration]

Read The World and the Will, by JAMES PAYN, says the Baron.  Successful novelist is our “J.P.” for England and the Colonies generally.  “The profits blazoned on the Payn,” is a line he quotes, with a slight difference of spelling, in his present three volumes, which is full of good things; his own “asides” being, to my thinking, quoth the Baron, by far the most enjoyable part of his books.  Herein he resembles THACKERAY, who used to delight in taking the reader behind the scenes, and exhibiting the wires.  Not so JAMES PAYN.  He comes in front, and comments upon the actions of his puppets, or upon men and morals in general, or he makes a quip, or utters a quirk, or proposes a quiddity, and pauses to laugh with you, before he resumes the story, and says, with the older romancers, “But to our tale.”  Most companionable writer is JAMES PAYN.  Tells his story so clearly.  A PAYN to be seen through.

In the christening of his Christmas books, Mr. MERRY ANDREW LANG has hit upon a genuine Happy Thought, on which the Baron begs sincerely to congratulate him.  It is a perfect little gold mine as a book-title series.  Last year M. ANDREW LANG wrote, and LANGMAN’S—­no, beg pardon—­LONGMANS published The Blue Fairy Book. The Blue Fairy Book, when it appeared, however, was read everywhere, so this year the MERRY ANDREW issues The Red Fairy Book, which, of course, will be more read than the other.  Excellent notion!  Where will it stop?  Why should it stop?  Next year there’ll be The Green Fairy Book; in ’92 the Yellow Fairy Book (commencing with new version of Yellow Dwarf), then the White, then the Black, then the Ver-millionth edition, and so on and so on, ad infinitum, through all the possible stages of the combination and permutation of colour.