Through the long generations, hoarded gains
  Of plastic fancies, and of potent brains;
  Thrones, Temples, Marts, Art’s alcoves, Learning’s domes,
  Patrician palaces, and bourgeois homes. 
  Down, down!—­to glut its spleen, the paltry thing,
  Impotent, save to lurk, and coil, and spring,
  But powerful as the poison-drop, once sped,
  That creeps, corrupts, and leaves its victim—­dead! 
  As the asp’s fang could turn to pulseless clay
  The Pride of Egypt, so this Worm can slay
  If left long covert for its crawling course. 
  Up, up against it every virile force,
  And every valorous virtue!  By its hiss
  ’Tis known hostis humani generis,
  Let Civilisation snatch St. Michael’s sword,
  And slay this Dragon, of a tribe abhorred
  The meanest and the most malignant Worm
  Which can spill venom, but, attacked, will squirm,
  Shrink, splutter, vanish.  With no noble end,
  All men must be its foes, blind hatred its sole friend!

* * * * *

BREAKING.

    [In his spot-barred Billiard-Match with H. COLES, PEALL made
    breaks of 108, 133, 64, 52, 78, 77, and 80.]

  Break, break, break
    On thy Billiard-board, oh P.! 
  As easy as cutting butter
    The business seems to thee.

  “Oh, well that the spot is barred,”
    The knowing ones glibly say,
  “Or we might get no chance
    Of a COLES’ strike here to-day.”

  And the marvellous game goes on. 
    Till the watchers have their fill;
  And one drops off, and dreams
    He’s taken the “Red” for a pill.

  Break, break, break! 
    And there’s one that will broken be;
  For the Pony I put on the other man
    Will never come back to me.

* * * * *

SUGGESTION FROM “CHILDE HAROLD” AT OLYMPIA.—­“I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Size And paint,” &c., &c.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  THE DYNAMITE DRAGON.]

* * * * *

ON THE FIRST GREEN CHAIR.

[Illustration:  Thursday, April 7.  Hyde Park.  Mid-day.]

  Reach it, attendant; wicked winter flies off: 
    Place it with pomp for me to sit and stare
  Up at the sun who banquets us with cries of
      “Chair!”

  Long have we pined in darkness most uncanny: 
    Now to Hyde Park return its gauze of gold,
  Jewels of crocus and enhancements mani-
      -fold.

  Welcome, delicious zephyr, blithe new-comer,
    Urging to purchase patent-leather boots,
  Hats of a virgin glossiness, and summer
      suits.

  Welcome, attire of carnival-carousers,
    Suddenly bursting on the ’wildered view. 
  Mine—­I don’t mind confessing it—­are trousers
      new,

  These that, serene in atmosphere serenest,
    Droop o’er a Chair, whose emerald taunts the trees—­
  Green are the leaves, and greener than the greenest
      Peas!