"The immense importance of a pint of ale to a common man should never be overlooked, nor should a good-natured Justice forget that he is acting for Lilliputians, whose pains and pleasures lie in very narrow compass, and are but too apt to be treated with neglect and contempt by their superiors. About ten or eleven o'clock in the morning, perhaps, the first faint shadowy vision of a future pint of beer dawns on the fancy of the ploughman. Far, very far is it from being fully developed. Sometimes the idea is rejected; sometimes it is fostered. At one time he is almost fixed on the 'Red Horse,' but the blazing fire and sedulous kindness of the landlady of the 'Dun Cow' shake him, and his soul labours! Heavy is the ploughed land, dark, dreary, and wet the day. His purpose is at last fixed for beer! Threepence is put down for the vigour of the ale, and one penny for the stupefaction of tobacco, and these are the joys and holidays of millions, the greatest pleasure and relaxation which it is in the power of fortune to bestow." Such kindly feelings as animated Sydney Smith were found more fully developed in Thomas Hood. He made his humour minister to philanthropy. The man who wrote the "Song of the Shirt" felt keenly for all the sufferings of the poor--he even favoured some of their unreasonable complaints. Thus he writes the "Address of the Laundresses to the Steam Washing Company," to show how much they are injured by such an institution. In a "Drop of Gin," he inveighs against this destructive stimulant. "Gin! gin! a drop of gin! What magnified monsters circle therein, Bagged and stained with filth and mud, Some plague-spotted, and some with blood." He seems not to be well pleased with Mr. Bodkin, the Secretary for the Society for the Suppression of Mendicity-- "Hail! king of shreds and patches, hail! Dispenser of the poor! Thou dog in office set to bark All beggars from the door! * * * * * "Of course thou art what Hamlet meant To wretches, the last friend; What ills can mortals have that can't With a bare _bodkin_ end." Mr. M'Adam is apostrophized-- "Hail Roadian, hail Colossus, who dost stand, Striding ten thousand turnpikes on the land? Oh, universal Leveller! all hail!" In a sporting dialogue in "Tylney Hall," we have-- "'A clever little nag, that,' said the Squire, after a long one-eyed look at the brown mare, 'knows how to go, capital action.' "'A picture, isn't she?' said the Baronet. 'I bought her last week by way of a surprise to Ringwood. She was bred by old Toby Sparks at Hollington, by Tiggumbob out of Tolderol, by Diddledumkins, Cockalorum, and so forth.' "'An odd fish, old Toby;' said the Squire, 'always give 'em queer names: can jump a bit, no doubt?'