box remorselessly applied,
The Usher's haughty insolence, the Bobby's baleful pride?

"How long shall the 'twelve honest men,' our constitution's end,
Be treated worse than criminals, their time and money lend,
Long hours of thankless horror in their country's cause to spend?

"_Punch_ riseth in indignant wrath, your champion stout and warm:
'Tis time that Somebody should take this old abuse by storm,
And sweep out the Old Bailey with the besom of Reform."

[Illustration: THANK YO-O-U!]

I have to confess that letters to the Press have, as a rule, little
effect in reforming; in fact, my only direct success was caused by an
illustrated letter to _Punch_. The tent-jobbers were evicted, and the
pleasant and not altogether picturesque pavilion for cricketers, in the
centre of Regent's Park, was erected in consequence of this letter of
mine to _Punch_:

"DEAR MR. _Punch_,--I have discovered a nasty spot in one of the
lungs of London. As you are the Doctor to cure all evils, I trust
you will take up the case.

"I re-visited the neighbourhood of dear old Regent's Park last
week. I strolled through the Zoo to renew the acquaintance of all
my friends there, deserted in the 'Out of Town' season, and longing
in vain, alas! for their day in the country. It was early; the Park
was deserted, except by the birds, and here and there laughing
children with their nurses. Everything was pleasant, so fresh and
green, and free and easy, unlike the West End 'lungs.'

"I sat myself down on a bench. Shut out from the madding crowd, one
could breathe in comfort. I recalled Locker's lines in praise of
Piccadilly--that crowded thoroughfare, dusty and noisy--and while
trying to fit them in to suit the beautiful scene around me, I
nodded, and fell asleep.

* * * * *

"Bang! I'm awake! What's that? A cannon-ball hit me in the back?
I'm all of a heap on the grass, my hat one way, my umbrella
another--and I nowhere! or, where am I? Dear me, am I dreaming?
Have I been carried by a shot? (Volunteers do practise in the
Park.) Was it a suburban race-meeting? Yes, it must be, and one of
a low order. And yet this is surely Regent's Park!

[Illustration: REGENT'S PARK AS IT WAS. _From "Punch."_ A ROUGH
SKETCH ON WOOD.]

"'Thank you, sir!'--'Thank y-o-o-u!'--'Th-a-n