SKINNERS AND SKINNED.--One portion of the ancient award of Sir ROBERT BILLESDON, Lord Mayor of London, in settling a dispute between the Skinners and Merchant Taylors, was, that these two Companies should dine together once a year. Mr. Justice BRUCE, alluding to this at the banquet on Skinners Day, when, as was natural, many lawyers were present, suggested that it would be a good thing if power were given to judges to "condemn litigants to dine together, and to order that the costs of the dinner should come out of the Consolidated Fund"--a very good notion. The idea might be extended to entertaining Wards in Chancery, of whom two unhappy infants the other day were had up at the Police Court for picking and stealing, in order to feed themselves and keep themselves alive until they should reach the age when they would come into their Chancery-bound property of something like £20,000. The magistrate ordered an inquiry, but of "subsequent proceedings" we have not as yet seen any record. * * * * * [Illustration: THE RISING GENERATION. _Host._ "WHAT A SMART SET OF PEOPLE WE'VE GOT TO-NIGHT, DEARY!" _Hostess._ "YES. HOW I WISH ONE OF OUR DEAR GIRLS WOULD COME AND SIT BY US, AND TELL US WHO EVERYBODY IS!"] * * * * * "HYMEN HYMENÆE!!!" JULY 6, 1893. ["Bid her awake; for Hymen is awake!" _Spenser's Epithalamion._ "A contract of true love to celebrate; And some donation freely to estate On the bless'd lovers."--_The Tempest._] Hymen, the rose-crowned, is in sooth awake, And all the world with him! Shall drowsy opiate dim The eyes of Love to-day? No, let all slake A loyal thirst in bumpers, for Love's sake, Full beaded to the brim! Like the Venusian's "mountain stream that roars From bank to bank along, When autumn rains are strong,"[A] A deep-mouthed People lifts its voice, and pours Its welcome forth, that like a Pæan soars In strains more sweet than song. More sweet than song, in that it straightway comes, Unfeignéd, from frank hearts; From loyal lips it starts, Unprompted, undragooned. The highway hums With the full sound of it. Fifes, trumpets, drums Bravely may play their parts. In the Imperial pageant, but the swell Of the free English shout Strikes sweeter--who dares doubt?-- On Royal ears. Music of marriage bell Clang on, and let the gold-mouth'd organ tell Of love and praise devout! But the crowd's vigorous clamour has a voice Finer and fuller still; A passion of goodwill Rings, to our ears, through all the exuberant noise, Which the recipient's heart should more rejoice Than all Cecilia's skill. So rivals for Apollo's laurel wreath May loudly strike the lyre, "To love, and young desire;"[B] But "bold and lawless numbers grow beneath"[B] The people's praise, and give the crowd's free breath A "mastering touch of fire."[B]