A state of mind how much by parents dreaded! 
    (By those outrageous parents, English mammas,
  Who scarcely own their daughters till they’re wedded)—­
    How postulant of patent Chubbs and Bramahs! 
  And eyes—­the safest locks when locks are needed!—­
    And Abigails, and homilies, and grammars;
  And other antidotes for “detrimentals”—­
  Id est, fine gentlemen unblest with rentals.

  But this could not stop here; nor did it stop—­
    For both were anxious for—­an explanation. 
  And in the harem’s grating was a gap,
    Whence Hy-son peep’d in modest hesitation;
  While on his spade the gardener would prop
    Himself, and issue looks of adoration;
  Until it happen’d, like a lucky rhyme,
  Each for the other look’d at the same time.

  Then fell the gardener upon his knees,
    And kiss’d his hand in manner most devout—­
  So Hy-son couldn’t find the heart to tease
    The poor dear man by being in a pout;—­
  Besides, she might go walk among the trees,
    And not a word of scandal be made out. 
  She thought a—­very—­little more upon it,
  Then smiled to Sou-chong,—­and put on her bonnet.

* * * * *

PUNCH AND THE SWISS GIANTESS!

SHERIFFS’ COURT.—­WEDNESDAY.

BONBON versus PUNCH.

[This important cause came on for trial on Wednesday last.  That it has not been reported in the morning papers is doubtless to be attributed to the most reckless bribery on the part of the plaintiff.  He has, no doubt, sought to hush up his infamy; the defendant has no such contemptible cowardice.  Hence a special reporter was engaged for PUNCH.  The trial is given here, firstly, for the beautiful illustration it affords of the philosophy of the English law of crim. con.; and secondly on a principle—­for PUNCH has principles—­laid down by the defendant in his course of public life, to show himself to the world the man he really is.  In pursuit of this moral and philosophical object, should the waywardness of his genius ever induce PUNCH to cut a throat, pick a pocket, or, as a Middlesex magistrate (for PUNCH has been upon the bench many a year), to offer for sale a tempting lot of liberty to any competent captive,—­should PUNCH rob as a vulgar Old Bailey delinquent, or genteelly swindle as an Aldermanic share-holder,—­in each and every of these cases there will, on discovery, be the fullest report of the same in PUNCH’S own paper, PUNCH being deeply impressed with the belief that an exhibition of the weaknesses of a great man is highly beneficial to public philosophy and public morals.  PUNCH now retires in favour of his “own” reporter.]

As early as six o’clock in the morning, the neighbourhood of the court presented a most lively and bustling aspect.  Carriages continued to arrive from the west-end; and we recognised scores of ladies