Why of the bondage of earth complain? 
        Wide as heaven is our liberty! 
     Where are the streets and their smoke and stain
        When to the land of the lark we flee? 
        Where is the sight that we may not see,
     Cloudland’s citadel passing through? 
        Switzerland beckons with Sicily,
     Alps and Mediterranean too.

Here, ’twixt walls with the marble’s vein,
Oared on a river of gold are we;
There we watch, on a sapphire main,
White fleets voyage to victory. 
Day unto day flashes grief or glee;
Night to night utters speech anew,
Figuring forest and lane and lea—­
Alps and Mediterranean too.

ENVOY

Prince whose course through the world is free,
Fare you better than dreamers do? 
Here are the mountains and here the sea—­
Alps and Mediterranean too.

S. GERTRUDE FORD.

From Lyric Leaves, by S. Gertrude Ford.  Cloth, 2s. 6d. net; 2s. 8d. post free from The Healthy Life, 3 Amen Corner, E.C.  This charmingly bound book makes an excellent holiday companion, for it contains many beautiful lyrics, all characterised by serious thought, generous human sympathies and a delicate imaginative quality.

 A REMEDY FOR LONGEVITY.

Once upon a time there was a little boy whose parents took things very seriously.  They answered all his questions with painstaking precision.  At a comparatively early age he could prove that fairies were non-existent.  At the same time his toys were marvels of mechanical perfection.

At the age of seven he was sent to a very efficient school, where, being naturally a bright boy, he gained high marks every term and passed all the examinations, for he had a wonderful and well-trained faculty for remembering exactly what his teachers had told him.

When he left school he entered a London merchant’s office, where his knowledge of arithmetic was of the greatest assistance in bringing him to the front.  Moreover, he could argue very tellingly with all the clerks and warehousemen, and always knew what the morning papers were saving about health, neck-ties or religion.

In course of time he grew a moustache, joined the Territorials, was made a partner in the firm, married a well-educated young lady and became a strong supporter of the local Liberal Club, where his opinions were so well known that it was unnecessary for anyone seriously to combat them.  He was never known to vote for the Conservative candidate or to lose his head.  His concluding speech in the historic debate on The National Health Insurance Act will always be remembered, by those who heard it, for its earnest defence of the medical profession.  In fact, the Mayor, who was in the chair, and was a doctor himself, warmly congratulated the speaker, who was evidently very pleased.