The Princess was a pretty child, Thirteen years old, or thereabout. She was as joyous and as wild As spring flowers when the sun is out. [Illustration: "The Coiffing"] Her gold hair fell down to her feet And hung about her pretty eyes; She was as lyrical and sweet As one of Schubert's melodies. Three times the barber curled a lock, And thrice he straightened it again; And twice the irons scorched her frock, And twice he stumbled in her train. His fingers lost their cunning quite, His ivory combs obeyed no more; Something or other dimmed his sight, And moved mysteriously the floor. He leant upon the toilet table, His fingers fumbled in his breast; He felt as foolish as a fable, And feeble as a pointless jest. He snatched a bottle of Cologne, And broke the neck between his hands; He felt as if he was alone, And mighty as a king's commands. The Princess gave a little scream, Carrousel's cut was sharp and deep; He left her softly as a dream That leaves a sleeper to his sleep. He left the room on pointed feet; Smiling that things had gone so well. They hanged him in Meridian Street. You pray in vain for Carrousel. AUBREY BEARDSLEY. [Illustration] CATULLUS CARMEN CI By ways remote and distant waters sped, Brother, to thy sad grave-side am I come, That I may give the last gifts to the dead, And vainly parley with thine ashes dumb: Since she who now bestows and now denies Hath ta'en thee, hapless brother, from mine eyes. But lo! these gifts, the heirlooms of past years, Are made sad things to grace thy coffin shell, Take them, all drenched with a brother's tears, And, brother, for all time, hail and farewell! AUBREY BEARDSLEY. [Illustration: "Ave atque Vale"] TABLE TALK OF AUBREY BEARDSLEY GEORGE SAND, ETC. After all the Muses are women, and you must be a man to possess them--properly. MENDELSSOHN Mendelssohn has no gift for construction. He has only a feeling for continuity. THE BROMPTON ORATORY The only place in London where one can forget that it is Sunday. WEBER Weber's pianoforte pieces remind me of the beautiful glass chandeliers at the Brighton Pavilion. SHAKESPEARE When an Englishman has professed his belief in the supremacy of Shakespeare amongst all poets, he feels himself excused from the general study of literature. He also feels himself excused from the particular study of Shakespeare. ROSSINI'S "STABAT MATER" The dolorous Mother should be sung by a virgin of Morales, one of the Spanish painter's unhealthy and hardly deiparous creatures, with high, egg-shaped, creamy forehead and well-crimped silken hair. ALEXANDER POPE