There is considerable humour and ingenuity in the following lines, introducing the names of London booksellers, and their nominal fitness for publishing certain books:—­

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“WHAT’S IN A NAME?”

  Long hail! to Longman, and his longer Co.,
  Pride of our city’s Pater Noster Row;
  Thy trade forego in novel trash romantic,
  And treat the world to something more gigantic.

  Let Underwood all essays sell on trees,
  On shrubs, or growth of brushwood if he please;
  All works on brewing leave to Mr. Porter,—­
  To Boosey—­temperance, for his firm supporter.

Leave to friend Bull all works on horned cattle, While Reid will teach the youthful mind to prattle; Give Bohn—­anatomy; give Mason sculpture; Gardiner’s engrafted upon horticulture.

  For valuation-tables on the price of laud,
  Why should we seek, since Byfield is at hand;
  For works on draining either bog or fen,
  In Marsh and Moore we have a choice of men.

Give Sherwood tales of merry men, who stood—­ Firm to their robbing—­around Robin Hood. Ogle takes optics,—­Miller, works on grain,—­ Ridgway, on railroads,—­Surgery with Payne.

  Hail!  Pic-a-dilly Hatchard, thy vocation
  Should be prolific, for ’tis incubation;
  Thy pious care brought Egley into note,
  And still on Gosling some folks say you dote.

  But to my plan.—­To make the dull ones plod well,
  Books for the use of schools, give Mr. Rodwell;
  And works on painting should you ever lack,
  You need but brush to either Grey or Black.

From Cowie works on vaccination fetch, Pedestrian tours from Walker, or from Stretch; And if in search of wonders you should range, Where can you seek them better than from Strange.

  The suff’ring climbing boys our pity claim,
  To aid their interest—­Suttaby, I’d name;
  And as they’re oft of churchyard-terrors slaves,
  Print works to cure them, O! Moon, Boys, and Graves.

  For plans of bridges Arch would be the best;
  For stairs and steps on Banister I’d rest;
  All that relates to church or chapel holy,
  I vote that such be Elder’s business solely.

Sustenance on diet surely ought to treat; Joy gives us human happiness complete:  Tilt will all works on tournament enhance, The law—­Oh! that of course I leave to Chance,

Priestly and Chappell may divide theology, Hookham and Roach the angling and ichthyology; And for Phrenology, what need of rumpus, One for his Nob will do—­so take it, Bumpus!

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