What wonders will the year reveal? A "Half-a-million Up?" A hundred-thousand points to PEALL Will ROBERTS yield--then show his heel, And win the Diamond Cup? Or greater marvel still, I wot-- Will players cease to growl When fluke occurs, or when you "pot" The white, and swear it's mean (it's _not_) And loud "Whitechapel!" howl? All such as these would _Punch_ beseech-- (He dwells on this behest)-- To drop such foolish ways, and preach To all "good form," that happy each May go for his Long Rest! * * * * * [Illustration: A UTILITARIAN. _The Vicar._ "AND HOW DO YOU LIKE THE NEW CHIMES, MRS. WEAVER? YOU _MUST_ BE GLAD TO HEAR THOSE BEAUTIFUL HYMN-TUNES AT NIGHT! THEY MUST REMIND YOU OF----" _Mrs. Weaver._ "YES; THAT BE SO, SIR. I'VE TOOK MY MEDICINE QUITE REGULAR EVER SINCE THEY WAS BEGUN!"] * * * * * CURIOUS.--A lady who had read the two recent controversies anent the Lords and the Empire got slightly muddled. "Well, I've never seen anything wrong," she said, "in Promenade Peers." * * * * * FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Florence! O glorious city of LORENZO the Magnificent, cradle of the Renaissance, birthplace of DANTE, home of BOCCACCIO, where countless painters and sculptors produced those deathless works which still fascinate an admiring world, at last I approach thee! I arrive at the station, I scramble for a _facchino_, I drive to my hotel. It is night. To-morrow all thy medieval loveliness will burst upon my enraptured eyes.