in an ornamental box, and
deposited in a subterranean apartment, with a large expenditure in
wages, coach-hire, silk, and crape, and feathers extracted from the tail
of a great bird? If the leg is not to be treated with such "proper
respect," why is the trunk?
The rich show "proper respect" by means of ostrich feathers and such
like. The poor are obliged to follow their lead as far as they can--and
farther. Hence Coffin Clubs--whence infanticide.
Superior Classes, every nail that you drive to show "proper respect," is
an incentive to child-murder.
* * * * *
THEORY AND PRACTICE.
CARDINAL WISEMAN, in his interview with the POPE, promised his Holiness,
that in a few years there would not be a single heretic in England. Of
course this is only "theor-heretically speaking," but we are afraid the
CARDINAL will find the practice quite another thing.
* * * * *
THE HOME OF THE BRITISH DRAMA.--A French Crib.
* * * * *
THE WAITS TO THE CZAR.
Word of Peace!--on Earth first spoken nigh two thousand years ago,
Art thou at this moment broken?--and who dares belie thee so?
'Tis a tyrant, cruel, scheming, whose ambition takes the field
In the very name, blaspheming, which that message then revealed.
Frost and snow, keen Christmas weather, and the biting winter wind,
Bid us lovingly together huddle closely, all mankind;
Blood is on the Danube freezing; wounds are agonized with cold,
Only for the sake of pleasing one proud felon uncontrolled.
All good souls are now beseeching blessings on their fellow man,
But one savage, overreaching, brutal despot, thousands ban.
On the field of battle lying, torn and mangled for his whim,
Hear we not the tortured dying call down curses upon him?
Nations now like kindly neighbours should, as round the Yule log, close.
Must we take to guns and sabres? Will the tyrant make us foes?
Hear the wounded writhing under Cossack hoofs and lances then,
Gracious Heaven! and may the thunder of our cannon roar Amen!
* * * * *
ORIGINALITY.
Originality (says GOETHE) provokes originality; and we must say, that at
Billingsgate, and in the House of Commons, the provocation sometimes is
exceedingly strong. The smallest provocation we know of the kind is in
the British drama; in fact so small is it, that we doubt if it amounts
to any
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