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INQUEST—­NOT EXTRAORDINARY.

  Great Bulwer’s works fell on Miss Basbleu’s head. 
  And, in a moment, lo! the maid was dead! 
  A jury sat, and found the verdict plain—­
  “She died of milk and water on the brain.”

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PUNCH’S PENCILLINGS.—­NO.  VII.

[Illustration:  TRIMMING A W(H)IG.]

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NAPOLEON’S STATUE AT BOULOGNE.

    [The bronze statue of Napoleon which was last placed on the summit
    of the grand column at Boulogne with extraordinary ceremony, has
    been turned, by design or accident, with its back to England.]

  Upon its lofty column’s stand,
    Napoleon takes his place;
  His back still turned upon that land
    That never saw his face.

THE HIEROGLYPHIC DECIPHERED.

The letters V.P.W. scratched by some person on the brow of the statue of Napoleon while it lay on the ground beside the column, which were supposed to stand for the insulting words Vaincu par Wellington, have given great offence to the French.  We have authority for contradicting this unjust explanation.  The letters are the work of an ambitious Common Councilman of Portsoken Ward, who, wishing to associate himself with the great Napoleon, scratched on the bronze the initials of his name—­V.P.W.—­VILLIAM PAUL WENABLES.

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    [Transcriber’s note:  This was marked as “NO. 3”, but it is the 5th
    one of the series.]

SONGS FOR THE SENTIMENTAL.—­NO. 5.

  “O fly with me, lady, my gallant destrere
    Is as true as the brand by my side;
  Through flood and o’er moorland his master he’ll bear,
    With the maiden he seeks for a bride.” 
  This, this was the theme of the troubadour’s lay,
    And thus did the lady reply:—­
  “Sir knight, ere I trust thee, look hither and say,
    Do you see any green in my eye?”

  “O, doubt me not, lady, my lance shall maintain
    That thou’rt peerless in beauty and fame;
  And the bravest should eat of the dust of the plain,
    Who would quaff not a cup to thy name.” 
  “I doubt not thy prowess in list or in fray,
    For none dare thy courage belie;
  And I’ll trust thee, though kindred and priest say me nay—­
    When you see any green in my eye!”

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TO POLITICAL WRITERS,

AND TO THE EDITOR OF THE “TIMES” IN PARTICULAR.