Page:All the Year Round - Series 1 - Volume 1.djvu/19

Charlees Dickens.]. The first Oration will be upon Daffy, or Infant Medication. This will be succeeded by an Oration on Spoonnmeat, demonstrating the objectionable fluidity of milk, and the necessity of nourishing a child on grits. The third Oration will be on Bare Legs, with a most earnest exhortation to fond parents to try the effect of discarding leg-coverings themselves for at least one autumn and winter. An infant band of Bronchitic Minstrels will attend to perform popular variations on the British Cough.

. An immense flock of gulls to believe in preposterous advertisements.

belonging to nobody, on its way to boroughs and counties to do nothing.

, set by the treasurer of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, who has mercifully employed himself in turning the gravelled airing ground, which forms the hospital quadrangle, into a garden for the benefit of convalescent patients.

of expenses for improving London, issued by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and amounting to the sum of (say) Twenty Millions sterling. The attention of all housekeepers, who may find their present taxes too light for them, is particularly directed to this gratifying document.

of ready-made political sympathy for the working-classes, scattered principally about the large electoral districts. To be sold, in the course of the next six weeks, for the benefit of the original manufacturers. Apply at the hustings.

of town and country newspapers, supposed to have been dropped by a gang of coiners, a mass of, ticketed "Literary Intelligence," and several , endorsed "From our London Correspondent." These have been forwarded to the nearest Dust-Contractor, but dealers in small talk are cautioned against unwary acceptance of any more of this base coin that may still be current. It is chiefly to the effect that the eminent John Jones's private income is nine, four, two, six and twopence-halfpenny. Also that Smith has asked Thompson to tell Watson that Johnson thinks Wilkinson has promised to give Wilson a thousand pounds a minute for five years.

, the man who is responsible for anything done ill in the public service. He will particularly oblige by coming forward.

for plunging the nations of Europe into the losses, crimes, miseries, and horrors of war. Apply at the chief office, Paris; or, at the branch establishment, Turin.

, in any part of the civilised world, for the sufferings of the King of Naples.

, pointing out the safe middle course to steer, between the Low Church Rocks, and the High Church Quicksands. Also, a manual of instructions for the accurate trimming of sails, when the storms of clerical remonstrance blow together from two different points of the compass. Address (post-paid), The Commanding Officer of her Majesty's Ship, Diocese of Oxford.

the Mighty, the great of limb, Had the kings of the whole earth under him: They held their thrones at his pleasure, and all Came and went at his beck and call. His heart swell'd within him, and, mad with power, To his vassals he said, in an evil hour: "I have read in the ancient histories Of the gardens and cities of Paradise, Whereto the spirit of man is bidden When, passing the Gate of Death, now hidden, It walks in the countries far away. Let those who please await that day: The will of the crowd availeth not To expedite their promis'd lot; But mine is strong and stern as Fate; And I on the earth will emulate The pomp of that celestial state; Till, like a planet vast and bright, That dazzles the day and kills the night, And waneth never, nor taketh flight, In the heavens shall hang the golden light Of the City of Earthly Eden.

"Depart, then, to the mines that lie In the caves of the mountains far and nigh, And out of the heat and the swarthy glooms Of Nature's subterranean rooms Bring heavy lumps of burning gold, And bars of silver, white and cold, And the chrysolite, glancing yellow and green, And the emerald, arrowy, quick, and keen, And the ruby's throbbing heart of splendour, Where the prison'd light beats soft and tender, And trembles, 'twixt love and sorrow and bliss, For the outer light which it can but kiss, But never shall join through the endless ages: And let the lords and the greybeard sages Search out, with diligent toil and pain, A spot on some delightful plain, Where rivers four from a mountain single Their waves with a murmuring measure mingle; And there, to a sound of choral song, Build the bases steady and strong, And lift the terraces light and long, In the City of Earthly Eden."

The vassals heard, and bow'd, and went Their several ways, and the wonderment Was blown abroad to the uttermost bound Of the great earth's all-containing round; And the tribes and nations hurried forth From beyond the mountains of the North,