A small volume has recently been published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus (London), entitled Mr. Gilbert’s _Original Comic Operas_, it contains The Sorcerer, H. M. S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, Iolanthe, Patience, Princess Ida, The Mikado, and Trial by Jury. It gives the dates when these pieces were first produced, but unfortunately omits the names of the performers, which all playgoers and collectors of theatrical curiosities will regret. Numerous imitations and parodies exist of Mr. Gilbert’s writings, other than those connected with Sir Arthur Sullivan’s music, thus his mythological play _Pygmalion and Galatea_ was burlesqued by Miss Alice Maud Meadows in “_Chiselling Pygmalion_,” which was performed in London in December, 1883, by the members of the Grantham Lawn Tennis Club. A jocular guide to the Edinburgh Exhibition of 1886 was compiled by Mr. George Stronach, and published by Robert Mitchell, of Edinburgh. It was entitled “_Our Own-eries_; or, The Show in the Meadows; a _dog_-gerel _cat_-alogue,” and was profusely and humourously illustrated. It contained several amusing parodies on _The Mikado_, and one on Tennyson’s _Brook_, but as they related only to the Exhibition they were of purely local interest, and are now out of date. In _The Bab Ballads_, which originally appeared in _Fun_ (London), may be found the germs of several of Mr. Gilbert’s plays and operas, sketches of plots afterwards amplified, and snatches of song which were, later on, to be linked to Arthur Sullivan’s music, and so made famous. The following, which appeared in _Fun_ twenty years ago, contains part of the plot of _H. M. S. Pinafore_:―― JOE GOLIGHTLY; OR, THE FIRST LORD’S DAUGHTER. A tar but poorly prized Long, shambling, and unsightly, Thrashed, bullied, and despised, Was wretched Joe Golightly. He bore a workhouse brand, No pa or ma had claimed him, The Beadle found him, and The Board of Guardians named him P’raps some princess’s son―― A beggar p’raps his mother! _He_ rather thought the one, _I_ rather think the other. He liked his ship at sea, He loved the salt sea-water; He worshipped junk, and he Adored the First Lord’s daughter. The First Lord’s daughter proud, Snubbed earls and viscounts nightly―― She sneered at barts aloud, And spurned poor Joe Golightly. Whene’er he sailed afar Upon a Channel cruise, he Unpacked his light guitar And sang this ballad (Boosey). _Ballad._ The moon is on the sea, Willow! The wind blows towards the lee, Willow! But though I sigh and sob and cry, No Lady Jane for me, Willow!