matter of course. But there
is plenty of scope for imagination in devising the form of his
appearance, notwithstanding, and Mrs. GORDON's book shows us how the
Genius may be compelled to present himself in a variety of pleasing
and fantastic shapes.

The Baron is of opinion that _The Seal of Fate_, by Lady POLLOCK and
W.H. POLLOCK, is an interesting but somewhat discursive novel. Will it
be followed by _The Fate of the Seal_, a tale of the Fishery Question?

BARON DE BOOK-WORMS & Co.

* * * * *

[Illustration: LORD RANDOLPH--PAST, PRESENT, AND TO COME-BACK.]

* * * * *

UPON AFRIC'S SHORE;

OR, THE BATTLE OF THE HEROES.

(_NOT BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE BATTLE OF LIMERICK_.")

Ye lovers of the nation,
Who burn with indignation,
And England's obfuscation perpetually deplore;
Ye flouters of our factions,
And partisan distractions,
How like ye the transactions upon Afric's shore?

Ye've all heard of the Lion
Who a rival cast his eye on,
(You'll find him in _Bombastes_) and thought the brute a bore.
Such rival Leos flourish,
And mutual hatred nourish,
With a snapping almost currish, upon Afric's shore.

Faith their manes are _always_ waving,
And their claws for contest craving,
And their forms are always rampant, and they're ever at full roar,
And in book and morning paper,
They still clapperclaw and caper,
And they worry, snarl and vapour about Afric's shore.

There was EMIN, sage pacific,
The serene and scientific,
Who a wondrous reputation in a hero-patriot bore,
Until "rescued" by brave STANLEY,
Who declared him weak, unmanly.
Oh! 'tis strange how heroes _can_ lie about Afric's shore.

Then BARTTELOT and TROUP,
JEPHSON, JAMESON--a group
Who each of each "made soup"--off each other tried to score;
And in many a verjuiced "vollum"
STANLEY's jovial "Rear Column"
Was discussed in manner solemn, anent Afric's shore.

Then the "foreign element"
To it tooth and nail _they_ went,
And the Battle of the Heroes it grew livelier than before.
Now that man, and now this man,
Now DE BRAZZA and now WISSMANN,
Made it hot for poor Old England upon Afric's shore.

Now comes PETERS! He has slanged
STANLEY awfully, and banged
The "Rescue" party badly. It is getting a big bore,
When, with tempers hot as Indies,
Heroe