nd Johnson--
No, certainly not.

Some prophet whose coming
Is yet undivined
May set the world humming
And stagger mankind;
It may be a Darwin
Some publisher's got
Up his sleeve, or it may be
Some one who is not.

There may be some clinkers
Now "creeping" to light,
Tremendous deep thinkers
Or high in their flight;
There may be diffusers
Of air that is hot;
There may be a Bergson,
Again there may not.

Though the publishing season
Is now on the wane,
This isn't a reason
Why we should complain;
For the view of the expert--
His "i's" when we dot--
Is that some books are useful,
But most of them rot.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Hostess_ (_playfully_). "WHAT--HAVEN'T YOU FINISHED
YET?"

_Sandy_ (_regarding cake, from which he has been told to help
himself_). "AH, BUT YE KEN, A CAKE O' THIS SIZE ISNA SAE SOON EATEN AS
YE MAY THENK."]

* * * * *

From the report of a speech by the Chief Justice of New Zealand:--

"His Excellency the Governor may make any conditions he pleases.
In fact it is a case of 'Hoc volo sic jubes; sit pro ratione
valunters.' I do not think the word can be read in that wide
sense."--_New Zealand Times_.

Nor do we.

* * * * *

ANOTHER IMPENDING APOLOGY.

"INDIAN DEFENCE FORCE ORDERS. CALCUTTA SOTTISH."--_The Empire_
(_Calcutta_).

* * * * *

"Defendant was fined 20s. for the abusive language which, said
the Chairman, was the worst the Magistrates had ever
seen."--_Provincial Paper_.

Or even tasted.

* * * * *

"Antiques are the 'best sellers' at all bazaars, and one meets
hunters of them all over the country. I hear of Mrs. ---- engaged
on the chase at Bath for her charity scheme. The Duchess of ----
was there, too, taking the waters."--_Daily Mirror_.

Some of our collectors will stop at nothing.

* * * * *

ART TO THE RESCUE.

No means to get people to invest in War Bonds can be seriously
objected to; but I must confess that when, on a railway station
hoarding, I caught sight of a poster representing WHISTLER'S famous
portrait of his mother, with the words, "Old Age is Coming," printed
across it, beneath an appeal to the public to be prudent about th