tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}img"/>

"A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA."

Father Neptune. "LOOK HERE, JOHN, THERE'S A JOLLY SIGHT O' THEM FURRIN' CRAFT ABOUT, TAKE A TIP FROM YOUR OLD FRIEND—BUILD ALL YOU KNOW—AND DASH THE EXPENSE!"

TO BOBBY.

(To the tune of "To Tommy.")

The Lilly's Lesson.—Mr. Lilly, in the New Review, reminds Dives that "there is no excuse for riches which are divorced from public obligation." This cuts deeply! Possibly Dives would retort upon the author of "Shibboleths" that riches require no "excuse." At any rate we do not often find men making excuses for being rich, though apologies for poverty are common enough. All the same, Mr. Punch would strongly recommend Dives—especially at this festive season—to "consider the (W. S.) Lilly"!

"A Long Break."—À propos of our picture in last week's issue, we have received the following suggestion:—"Sir, if Mr. Gladstone, the great billiard player, wishes to continue his 'long break,' wouldn't it be advisable for him 'to take a rest.'—Yours truly, Breakers A. Head."

AT THE COURTS OF JUSTICE.

First Litigant. "I'm Bankruptcy. What are you?"
Second L. "I'm Divorce."
First L. "Then you stand Lunch!"

SEASONABLE REFLECTION.

(By an Old Fogey.)

"For this Relief—much Thanks." Shakspeare.—A correspondent in the Pall Mall Gazette recently complained of the disappearance of "Thank you," and the substitution of "Thanks" and "Thanks awfully." Why not? It is but a revival of the ancient Latin form "gratias," and surely plural "Thanks" indicates indefinitely more thankfulness than an uneffusive, frigid, singular "Thank you," signifying "I thank you." Let us be Shakspearianly classical, as in the quotation above given, and say "Much thanks." So again, "I am poor in thanks—but I thank you." Here the relative value of the plural and the singular in thanks is well brought out.

BALL VERSUS BALL.