So MERLIN, riddling, answered them; but thou, Fear not to face thy fate, O sea-born Child! Young Ninety-Two! Great Bards of thee may sing Hereafter; and great sayings from of old Ranging and ringing thro' the minds of men, Of Progress, and Improvement, and of Peace, Of nobler Work, and a more ample Wage, Of wider culture, and of worthier joys, Larger attainments, and less coarse desires, And gentler tastes; these shall be heard of youth. And echo'd by old folk beside their fires, For comfort after _their_ wage-work is done-- No workhouse fires, but cosy fires of Home!-- These thee shall greet, PUNCH-MERLIN, in thy time, Shall voice them also, not in jest, and swear, Though men may wound Truth, that she will not die, But pass, again to come; and, then or now, Utterly smite foul Falsehood underfoot, Till, with PUNCH, all men hail her for their Queen! * * * * * CLIMATIC NOMENCLATURE FOR THE NEW YEAR. (_SUGGESTED BY RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE BRITISH SEASONS._) Spring = The Clog Days. Summer = The Dog Days. Autumn = The Bog Days. Winter = The Fog Days. * * * * * ATRABILIOUS LIVERPOOL.--The City Council of Liverpool--notwithstanding the generous urgings of its more important members--refuses to bestow the "honour of" the freedom "of that City" upon its illustrious if--from their point of view--errant son, Mr. GLADSTONE. As Madame ROLAND _ought_ to have said:--O "Freedom," what liberties are taken (with common sense and good feeling) in thy name! * * * * * [Illustration: THE COMING OF NINETY-TWO _TO THE MODERN MERLIN, MR. PUNCH._ "AND DOWN THE WAVE, AND IN THE FLAME WAS BORNE A NAKED BABE, AND RODE TO PUNCH'S FEET, WHO STOOPT, AND CAUGHT THE BABE, AND CRIED, 'THE YEAR! HERE IS AN HEIR FOR NINETY-ONE!'"--_Adapted from Tennyson's "Coming of Arthur."_] * * * * * TO JUSTICE. (_IN JANUARY._) [Illustration]