Now comes PETERS! He has slanged STANLEY awfully, and banged The "Rescue" party badly. It is getting a big bore, When, with tempers hot as Indies, Heroes smash each other's windies, Pursuing of their shindies about Afric's shore. It is doubtless "moighty fine," Being what _Titmarsh_ called "a line," And it does Society's "sowl" good (no doubt) to hear him roar; But 'tis folly to suppose He _must_ rush upon his foes, And hit them on the nose, upon Afric's shore. * * * * * EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT.--When Mr. SMITH proposed shutting up shop early on Tuesdays and Fridays, SIR ROBERT FOWLER was all for singing, "We won't go home till morning (_three times_), Till daylight doth appear." But, as _Falstaff_ asks, "What doth gravity out of bed after midnight?" No, Sir ROBERT, doughty knight, take good advice, and hie thee, armed _Night-cap-à-pie_, to thy couch. Don't get up till morning, Till (long after) daylight doth appear! * * * * * [Illustration: IBSEN IN BRIXTON. _Mrs. Harris_. "YES, WILLIAM, I'VE THOUGHT A DEAL ABOUT IT, AND I FIND I'M NOTHING BUT YOUR DOLL AND DICKEY-BIRD, AND SO I'M GOING!"] * * * * * THE PARTY PETER BELL. A potterer, Sir, he was by trade, A Party Potterer, much respected, And every year, when Spring appeared, The yellow blooms, to bards endeared, In swarms by PETER were collected. He roved among the vales and streams, In the green wood and hollow dell, And, upon April's nineteenth day, Big buttonholers made display Upon the heart of PETER BELL. In vain through each succeeding year Did Nature mourn her lessening store. A Primrose on the river's brim A Party emblem was to him, And it was nothing more! * * * * * DISINFECTING THE WIGS.--"_L'Enfant Prodigue_," which is filling the Prince of Wales's Theatre day and night, has much in it that is delightful. Perhaps there is nothing quite excels the subtle touch in the programme where it is written: "The theatre is disinfected by the Sanitas Company, Limited. _The Wigs by Clarkson_." * * * * * CURIOUS, AND "MORE ANON!"--The _Evelyn_ v. _Hurlbert_ trial was as full of literary interest as a sale of old books and manuscripts. Specially valuable were copies of _Evelyn's Diary_; while, in spite of the pressing demand, _Murray's Memoirs_ were uncommonly scarce. Victorious Mr. HURLBERT! Yet for all his triumph, he will be, for some time, a "very much Murray'd man." * * * * * A SAVOY QUESTION.--The general idea of the forthcoming new Opera at the Savoy appears to be "all Dance to SOLOMON's music." Is it to be a pantomime-drama, like _L'Enfant Prodigue_, or simply a ballet? If neither, where do song-words and dialogue come in? * * * * * ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.