"Will Your Majesty pray receive the homage of my most profound respect. "G. P. "_Attorney-at-law_, "BARBEZIEUX (Gironde), France." "_To His Majesty_,-- "_Muzaffr-ed-Din, Shah of Persia,_ "_At the Élysée Palace Hôtel, Paris_. "I eagerly congratulate His Majesty on the great honour which he has paid the French people by making a long stay in the great international city. And I take advantage of this occasion to beg His Majesty to initiate a general convocation of all the sovereigns of the whole world for next month, in order to open a subscription for the construction of an unprecedented fairy palace (new style and taking something from planetary nature and its marvels), to be known as the Sovereign Palace of the Universal Social Congress, symbolising the whole universe by States, containing the apartments of every sovereign in the world and situated near the Bois de Boulogne. "I consider that His Majesty would thus have a good opportunity of securing a great page in history. "Hoping for a just appreciation and entire success, I send His Majesty, the Shah of Persia, the assurance of my greatest respect, together with my perfect consideration, and I am, "The most humble Architect-general of the Universal Confederation of Social Peace, "At His Majesty's service, "C. M." Now comes the touching note: "A little provincial work-girl, who has not the honour of being known to His Majesty, kneels down before him and, with her hands folded together, entreats him to make her a present of a sum of 1,200 francs, which would enable her to marry the young man she loves.... Oh, what blessings he would receive day by day for that kind action! "I beg the Shah to forgive me for the offences of this letter against etiquette, with which I am not acquainted. I kiss His Majesty's hands and I am "His most humble and obedient little servant, "A. C." Lastly, is not the following letter an exquisitely candid specimen of the proper art of "sponging"? _"Your Majesty_,-- "As you are a friend of France, I propose to write to you as a friend; you will permit me to do so, I hope. "The question is this: I have the greatest longing to set eyes on the sea; my husband has a few days' holiday in the course of October; I should like to make the most of it and to go away for a little while. "Our means are very small indeed; my husband has only 105 francs a month; and I could not do what I wish without encroaching on my housekeeping money, which is calculated down to the last centime. "I therefore remembered your generosity and thought that you might be touched by my request.