And threw herself, in fine, upon his neck, And thus was found, he speechless with surprise, They, after, silent, striving to believe. _Rom._ It is a tale incredible and bald. _Ber._ Why so thought many; but this JINGULUS Is all compassion for the widow's case. DODSON and FOGG, his seconds in the realm, Albeit unuséd to the melting mood, Do keep turned on, sans intermission, Salt pity's main. The people whisper change, And what they whisper they are fain to make. The nobles huddle in uncertainty, Like sheep that meet a cart, the dog behind. On the Rialto, ere I left this morning, The hoarse-voiced makers of the books, whose leaves Are I. O. U.'s to ruin, vainly laid Long odds upon the widow. _Rom._'Tis not death? _Ber._ Nay, only banishment. Whoever breaks A promise made to wed, to exile goes. _Rom._ Will not the widow take a forfeiture? _Ber._ It cannot be. There is no power in Brentford Can alter a decree established. Besides, the very object of the law Is to prevent the payment of a price For feelings wounded. The stern punishment Makes flighty wooers careful, and restrains The plots of scheming spinsters, who derive No personal advantage from their suit. _Rom._ Then am I shent! But here the plot thickens, and we are plunged into the _Two Gentlemen of Verona_, _Hamlet_, _As You Like It,_ and _A Winter's Tale_, with a strong infusion of Dingley Dell, and the Fat Boy floating round, like a materialised _Ariel_. I ask, _Who are the plagiarists?_ R. T. * * * * * [Illustration:] NOTICE.--Rejected Communications or Contributions, whether MS., Printed Matter, Drawings, or Pictures of any description, will in no case be returned, not even when accompanied by a Stamped and Addressed Envelope, Cover, or Wrapper. To this rule there will be no exception. * * * * * Transcriber's note: Alternative spellings were retained. Punctuation was made consistent.