tertwined,"
So spake it in his inner mind:

[Illustration: "A SCARED DULLARD, GIBBERING LOW"]

"Each orbed on each a baleful star:
Each proved the other's blight and bar:
Each unto each were best, most far:

"Yea, each to each was worse than foe:
Thou, a scared dullard, gibbering low,
AND SHE, AN AVALANCHE OF WOE!"

TEMA CON VARIAZIONI.

[Why is it that Poetry has never yet been subjected to that process of
Dilution which has proved so advantageous to her sister-art Music? The
Diluter gives us first a few notes of some well-known Air, then a dozen
bars of his own, then a few more notes of the Air, and so on alternately:
thus saving the listener, if not from all risk of recognising the melody
at all, at least from the too-exciting transports which it might produce
in a more concentrated form. The process is termed "setting" by Composers,
and any one, that has ever experienced the emotion of being unexpectedly
set down in a heap of mortar, will recognise the truthfulness of this
happy phrase.

For truly, just as the genuine Epicure lingers lovingly over a morsel of
supreme Venison--whose every fibre seems to murmur "Excelsior!"--yet
swallows, ere returning to the toothsome dainty, great mouthfuls of
oatmeal-porridge and winkles: and just as the perfect Connoisseur in
Claret permits himself but one delicate sip, and then tosses off a pint or
more of boarding-school beer: so also----

I never loved a dear Gazelle--
_Nor anything that cost me much:
High prices profit those who sell,
But why should I be fond of such?_

To glad me with his soft black eye
_My son comes trotting home from school;
He's had a fight, but can't tell why--
He always was a little fool!_

But, when he came to know me well,
_He kicked me out, her testy Sire:
And when I stained my hair, that Belle,
Might note the change, and thus admire_

And love me, it was sure to dye
_A muddy green or staring blue:
Whilst one might trace, with half an eye,
The still triumphant carrot through_.

A GAME OF FIVES.

[Illustration]

Five little girls, of Five, Four, Three, Two, One:
Rolling on the hearthrug, full of tricks and fun.

Five rosy girls, in years from Ten to Six:
Sitting down to lessons--no more time for tricks.

Five growing girls, from Fifteen to Eleven:
Music, Drawing, Languages, and food enough for seven!

Five winsome girls, from Twenty