Advice Gratis.—­Make (Brighton) “A,” while the sun shines,

Inquiries as to The Para Docks Company, and The Jerrie Myer Bilder Company, I will answer squarely and fairly next week.  Don’t move in these without the straight and direct advice of “CROESUS.”

As to the Turpin, Sheppard, and Abershaw Highways Company, I shall have something to say next week.  Investors who want a real good thing, just hold your coin in hand for a week, till I say “Go,” and then go it.  This Company will be a big thing, and, mind you, safe.

For the present I close the account, to re-open it next week, and, to show my good faith, send you my subscription, which you may read here, as I subscribe myself, “CROESUS, CITY.”

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[Greek:  THAE PROTEKTED PHEMALE.]

[Illustration]

["For our part we do not believe in protected studies.  Greek came into the Western world, poor and needy, three centuries ago.  By her own unaided charms she has won her way.  By those charms we believe that she will hold her own against all competitors until literature and civilisation are no more.”—­Times.]

  Protected Greek!  Protected Greek! 
    BALFOUR may doubt, the Times demur,
  And chattering “correspondents” seek
    Against the goddess strife to stir,
  But while the Senate rules, you bet,
  The Goths shan’t smash the Grecians yet.

  When Don meets Don injurious fray
    Then comes in sooth the tug of war;
  And on this memorable day
    They gather in from near and far,
  To whelm the unnatural ones who’d seek
  To set the “Grace” against the Greek.

  SWETE looks on JEBB and JEBB on BROWNE,
    And BATESON looks on ROBERTSON SMITH. 
  They cry, “Of WELLDON ’tis ill-done!”
    But THOMSON is a man of pith,
  And GRIMTHORPE, that scalp-hunting “Brave”
  Will tomahawk the “Modern” slave.

  The Proctors sat with serious brow,
    Within the swarming Senate House,
  Voters in hundreds swarmed below,
    Fellows of scholarship and nous. 
  They counted votes, and, when ’twas done,
  Non-placets had it, three to one!

  And where are they, Granta’s fell foes,
    The champions of the Modern side? 
  Five twenty-five emphatic “Noes”
    Have squelched their schemes, and dashed their pride. 
  Hurroo! for those so prompt to vindicate
  Compulsory Greek against the Syndicate!

  Thus sang, or would, or could, or should have sung,
    The modern Greek, in imitative verse;
  Meanwhile the Goddess, grave, though ever young,
    Stood, Psyche-like, untempted to rehearse
  The ragings—­angrier ink was seldom slung—­
    Uttered by BYRON in Minerva’s Curse. 
  She simply stood, as stately-proud as Pallas,
  Looking so calm, some might have deemed her callous.