Lo! in the hollows of Hades I hear the lamenting of LUBBOCK, Bart., who declares that HOMERUS (or somebody else of the same name, One or the other, or both, or perhaps a collection of poets)-- LUBBOCK, I say, who declares that the sale of my poems is paltry, Says he is sorry to see me reduced to the state of a wall-flower! But as a matter of fact I have got an immense circulation, Chiefly in Oxford and Cambridge and Eton and other _palæstræ_. SOPHOCLES pushes me close, but PINDAR is out of the running, Being a bit too stiff, though the cost is defrayed by the parents. As for the rest, I consider HERODOTUS very deserving; Quaintly enough at this moment I see he is writing about me, Writing to say he considers HOMERUS exceedingly clever. Who, by the way, is a Mr. LE GALLIENNE? He, as they tell me, Prattles a lot on his private affairs for the good of the public. HERODOTUS FORWARDS A TRIFLING BROCHURE. To me for my part it appears that of the other poets, both those before and after, no one, as the saying is, can hold a two-penny torch to HOMERUS. He, in the language of the Far-Western people, whips cosmos. But of those that write things not to be mentioned, no Then Man dwelling in the nether world can surpass the Now Woman. So at least they that are over the book-market tell me; but them I cannot easily believe. Further, to speak of such as collect history, but, being unworthy indeed of neglect do yet escape the notice of those that appoint to office, I give the front row to Mr. OSCAR BROWNING. SHAKSPEARE SENDS AN OCCASIONAL SONNET. Had I survived my well-contented age And lived to see the bettering of the times, And witnessed HENRY ARTHUR on the stage, Or read the latest confidential rhymes; Small marvel were it that my tragic art Should lapse among a race of larger build; Or that the sonnet-echoes of my heart Should fail before the booming Bodley guild. Yet have I lovers still, a faithful few; And here I take occasion for observing How greatly I have been indebted to The Cambridge Locals and to Mr. IRVING. _Post-script._--The Temple SHAKSPEARE for the pocket Is selling now; I know of none to knock it. LORD VERULAM KINDLY QUOTES HIMSELF. You shall not ask better from me than that I should distil you these two extracts from my Standard Essays, amended to date. 1. _Of Studies._--Reading, and namely of the kitchen ware of AUTOLYCUS, maketh a full man; reviewing maketh a puffy man; and my _New Organ,_ now old and strangely unpopular, maketh an harmonious man.