[“The capacity of our Legislative Organ is limited. Its strength is overtaxed. In its perspective, the first place is held by the great and urgent Irish question. Still more limited are the means, especially as to the future, possessed by a man on the margin of his eightieth year.”――_Mr. Gladstone’s letter._] Seated long since at the organ, I strummed in my weary way; And my fancies wandered widely For a popular air to play. I know not what I was doing, (And I cannot explain it still), But I struck one chord of faction; Like the sound of a Home Rule Bill. It startled the House and the Empire, With a fantasy wild and new; And it shattered a mighty party Like a thunderbolt from the blue. And I struggled and “reconstructed,” But passions I could not cool; So I gave up my seat at the organ, Where I might not play “Home Rule.” Yet still on that worn-out Organ I shall strike those chords once more; And sing in life’s sunless gloaming, The song that I learnt of yore; And the Law of the Land shall quaver In tune to a plundering Plan, When the grand Old English Organ Shall throb to the Grand Old Man. _The St. James’s Gazette._ 1889. ――――:o:―――― AN UTTER PASSION UTTERED UTTERLY. This poem, inserted on page 81, was disfigured by a misprint, the third line should have read:―― “And drapen in tear-colour’d minivers.” The author (Dr. Todhunter) wishes it to be understood that the poem was intended as a skit on the imitators of Mr. Swinburne’s style in general, and not on any particular individual. It was therefore a little out of place amongst the Parodies of Mr. Oscar Wilde, as it was not intended to refer in any way to the writings of that gentleman.――ED. _Parodies._ ――――:o:―――― PARODIES & POEMS IN PRAISE OF TOBACCO. [Illustration: T]he following poems, devoted entirely to the laudation of Tobacco, either as smoked in the pipe, cigar, or cigarette, or as taken in the form of snuff, have been collected from many different works. One of the principal sources of information has been that entertaining journal _Cope’s Tobacco Plant_, which has now unfortunately ceased to exist. Another useful authority was a little book published at the office of _Tobacco_ in Gracechurch Street, London, entitled _Tobacco Jokes for Smoking Folks_, which contained many amusing anecdotes, and humorous illustrations. A few of the latter are here inserted by the kind permission of the proprietors. Following the Parodies some of the most noted _Poems_ on Tobacco are given, so as to make the collection on this interesting topic more complete. [Illustration]