ON HIS WAY TO THAT TURNIP-FIELD, OUR DEAR OLD BRIGGS PASSES THROUGH THE PARK IN WHICH HIS FRIEND'S FAVOURITE BISONS ARE KEPT, HE SAYS TO GEORDIE THE KEEPER: "I TRUST, MY GOOD FELLOW, THIS IS NOT THE SEASON YOU SPOKE OF IN WHICH THESE CREATURES--YOU KNOW--EH--WHAT--A--A--ARE _DANGEROUS_?"] [Illustration: _SPORTING INTELLIGENCE._ OUR EXCELLENT FRIEND, MR. BRIGGS, ALWAYS SHOOTS NOW IN KNICKERBOCKERS, AND DECLARES THEY ARE THE MOST COMFORTABLE THINGS POSSIBLE; AND SO THEY ARE.] [Illustration: _ENGLISH DARLINGS REFLECTED IN A FRENCH MIRROR!_ (DEDICATED TO THOSE POLITE AND PROFOUND OBSERVERS OF BRITISH MANNERS AND CUSTOMS--THE PARISIAN ARTISTS!)] [Illustration: _ENGLISH SOLDIERS ACCORDING TO FRENCH NOTIONS._ THE FRENCH CARICATURISTS, WITH THEIR USUAL ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, ARE FOND OF REPRESENTING OUR SOLDIERS AS CONTINUALLY PLAYING AT BILLIARDS.--WELL! PERHAPS IT WILL BE FOUND THAT THEY _DO_ PLAY THEIR _CANNONS_ REMARKABLY WELL!] [Footnote A: British Officers of Distinction] [Footnote B: Daughters of Albion! (The wonderful fidelity of this representation will be immediately acknowledged.)] [Footnote C: Young Guardsmen! (Painful, perhaps, but too true!)] [Footnote D: The _Boule Dogue_. (Asleep, of course.)] [Illustration: _IRRESISTIBLE._ _Lady._ "WHAT! TWO SHILLINGS! AND EIGHTEENPENCE FOR WAITING THREE-QUARTERS OF AN HOUR?--NONSENSE, MAN! IT WAS ONLY TEN MINUTES BY MY WATCH!" _Cabman (insinuatingly)._ "WASN'T IT, MISS? WELL, THEN, I S'POSE IT WAS A MISSIN' O' YOUR PRETTY FACE AS MADE IT SEEM THREE KERVARTERS OF AN HOUR!" (_Fare pays, and thinks the Cabman an extremely nice person._)] [Illustration: _THE IDLE SERVANT._ _Mistress._ "YOU ARE AN EXCESSIVELY WICKED BOY, SIR! YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY LONG TIME BRINGING ME THIS LETTER--AND I MUST INSIST UPON KNOWING IN WHAT MANNER YOU HAVE BEEN IDLING AWAY YOUR TIME--SPEAK, SIR!" _Domestic._ "BOO-HOO-'M! IF YOU PLEASE, 'M! _ME AND ANOTHER BUTLER_ WAS A-LOOKING AT PUNCH. BOO-HOO!!"] [Illustration: _A LITTLE ROWLANDS' MACASSAR WANTED SOMEWHERE._ A HINT TO THE HORSE GUARDS.] [Illustration: _FRIVOLITY_]. [Illustration: _WELL OVER! ANYHOW!_] [Illustration: _THE RIDING-HAT QUESTION._ _Lucy._ "NOW TELL ME, MARY, WHICH IS THE BEST?" _Mary (who is rather horsey)._ "WELL, DEAR, FOR TEA IN THE ARBOUR, AND THAT SORT OF THING, PERHAPS THE LITTLE ROUND ONE; BUT IF YOU WANT TO LOOK LIKE GOING ACROSS COUNTRY, THE CHIMNEY-POT ALL TO NOTHING!"] [Illustration: _NOT A BAD JUDGE._ _Alimentive Boy._ "MY EYE, TOMMY, WOULDN'T I LIKE TO BOARD IN THAT 'OUSE JUST!"] [Illustration: _OH, HOW JOLLY!_] [Illustration: _THE BORES OF THE BEACH._ SO! AS IT'S A FINE DAY, YOU'LL SIT ON THE BEACH AND READ THE PAPER COMFORTABLY, WILL YOU? VERY GOOD! THEN WE RECOMMEND YOU TO GET WHAT GUINEA-PIGS, BRANDY-BALLS, BOATS, AND CHILDREN'S SOCKS, TO SAY NOTHING OF SHELL-WORK BOXES, LACE COLLARS, AND THE LIKE, YOU MAY WANT, BEFORE YOU SETTLE DOWN.]