it, and the waiters are there expressly to hand it round, and a good-natured man of course does not like to see waiters standing idle, and accordingly gives his orders; and besides, it is an axiom in political economy that the supply creates the demand. Here are some of the verses I have heard sung with immense applause: The spiritualists only can work by night, They keep it dark; For their full-bodied spirits cannot stand the light, So they keep it dark; They profess to call _spirits_, but I call for _rum_ And _brandy_ or _gin_ as the best medi_um_ For raising the spirits whenever I’m glum; But keep it dark. The utter silliness of many of the songs is shown by the following, “sung with immense success,” as I read in the programme, by Herbert Campbell: I’ve read of little Jack Horner, I’ve read of Jack and Jill, And old Mother Hubbard, Who went to the cupboard To give her poor dog a pill; But the best is Cowardy Custard, Who came to awful grief Through eating a plate of mustard Without any plate of beef. _Chorus_. Cowardy Cowardy Custard, oh dear me, Swallowed his father’s mustard, oh dear me— He swallowed the pot, and he collared it hot; For, much to his disgust, The mustard swelled, Cowardy yelled, Then Cowardy Cowardy bust. This is supposed, I presume, to be a good song. What are we to think of the people who call it so? It is difficult to imagine the depth of imbecility thus reached on the part of singer and hearers, and is a fine illustration of the influence of beer and “baccy” as regards softening the brain. The music-hall singer degrades his audience. Even when he sings of passing events he panders as much as possible to the passions and prejudices of the mob. His words are redolent of claptrap and fury, and are a mischievous element in the formation of public opinion. Heroes and patriots are not made in music-halls. But rogues and drunkards and vagabonds—and lazy, listless lives, destitute of all moral aim. There are respectable people who go to music-halls—women as well as men—but they get little good there. Indeed, it would be a miracle if they did.