It was amusing to see Mr. AUBREY SMITH wondering how on earth he had got into this play, and Mr. A. E. GEORGE prowling about the stage intent apparently on showing how many ways there are of uttering "Pshaw!" and "Tut-tut!" or noise to that effect. It isn't as easy as it ought to be to do justice to players playing impossible parts; to Miss HENRIETTA WATSON struggling pluckily and skilfully with her _Mrs. John_; or to Mr. COWLEY WRIGHT or Miss ROSA LYND, so perfectly appalling did _Ernest_ and _Helen_ seem to me and so anxious was I to get them off to Paris respectably or otherwise. They never, by the way, gave me the faintest impression that they could ever have done work of any value in their laboratory. I have no idea what the moral of this modern mystery play may be, but I did gather that the authoress was seriously perplexed, not perhaps in any startlingly new way, about the difficulties of marriage and the conventional hypocrisies that hedge round that honourable institution, but just forgot that serious argument cannot easily be conveyed through the medium of fantastically impossible and uninteresting people in an extravagantly farcical situation. The play was kindly received. T. * * * * * [Illustration: "WHY MARRY?" _Mr. C. AUBREY SMITH (Uncle Everett)._ "DO _YOU_ KNOW THE ANSWER?" _Miss HENRIETTA WATSON (Lucy)._ "THERE ARE A GOOD MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PLAY THAT I WOULDN'T CARE TO HAVE TO ANSWER."] * * * * * THE MADNESS OF THE MACNAMARA. (_From the Gaelic--with apologies to BON GAULTIER._) Weefrees swore a feud Against the clan McGeorgy; Marched to Leamington To hold a pious orgy; For they did resolve To extirpate the vipers With thirty stout M.P.s And all the Northsquith "pipers." "Lads," said HOGGE and BENN To their faithful scholars, "We shall need to fight To retain the dollars; Here's MHIC-MAC-NAMARA Coming with his henchmen, HEWART, KELLAWAY And several Front-Bench men." *** "Coot-tay to you, Sirs," Said MHIC-MAC-NAMARA In a voice that reached From Leamington to Tara; "So you'd drum us out To enjoy your plunder, Adding to a crime Suicidal blunder." But the brave Weefrees, Heedless of his bawling, Drowned him with the storm Of their caterwauling; So MHIC-MAC-NAMARA And the valiant KELLAWAY Gave some warlike howls And in haste got well away. In this sorry style Died ta Liberal Party, Which in days of old Had been strong and hearty; This, good Mr. Punch, Is ta true edition; Here's your fery coot health And--bless ta Coalition! * * * * * Another Impending Apology. "We are glad to be able to state in reference to our Pastor that, though much improved in health, he is still unfit to resume his work amongst us."-- ---- _Congregational Magazine._ ***