To pay, or not to pay: that was the question; Whether ’twas best with one canal to suffer, And trade to harass for the Frenchman’s fortune, Or to take heart ’gainst this canal of troubles, A scheme propose, and end them? To make it deep; Nay, more; both wide and deep is, p’r’aps, a way to end And obviate the thousand natural blocks That ships declare to. ’Tis hallucination, And scarcely to be wished, to try and keep As ’tis, perchance, this stream where vessels rub; For with increase of trade what ships may come When we have shuffled off this monstrous toll? Now let us pause: there’s the respect We yield Lesseps, his useful and long life, Who bore for this the scorns of other times, His opponents’ wrong, the proud “Pam’s” contumely, The pangs of jealous hate: the long delays, The insolence of scoffers and the turns The patient Frenchman saw this project take, While he his channel still successful made―― Unlike Sir Watkin! Oh, if ’twas hard to bear The grudged four millions during Dizzy’s life (That give but doubtful ’vantage since his death), An undiscovered boon from which we get No adequate returns, this puzzle o’ Will’s Would make us rather bear the tolls we have Than strive for others at so vast a price? Thus caution does make now our statesmen pause; And thus was fated soon this resolution; For, sicklied o’er with the pale cast of cost, This enterprise who could hold with a moment? In this regard ’twas bound to turn awry, Or lose the nation’s sanction. LEONARD HARDING. _The Weekly Dispatch_, August 5, 1883. ――――:o:―――― BY AN ATTORNEY.