"Halls," and "Cascades," and "Altars," and "Bridal Wreaths" they see
there are not only finer than real ones (if you would believe them!) but
so grand and wonderful as to be really indescribable. So we find them,
by their turgid and stupid reports, which are all alike, and all dreary
and silly. We have never heard of anybody who got excited over these
pictures (except the artists themselves); and positively there is no
flatter reading anywhere than these gushing notes about big caves.

* * * * *

GEOMETRICAL.

Why is it that we hear so much of the proper "Sphere" of woman? Here is
that noble exile, the Princess Editha Montez, lecturing again, and her
subject, of course, is the Spherical one. So when Mesdames Stanton,
Dickinson, Anthony, Howe--all the lovely lecturers--discourse, they
forget the platform which is plane, and discuss the "sphere" which is
mysterious. Can it possibly be that it is because these amiable
gentlewomen are always going round? Or is it because they cannot help
reasoning in a circle? Or is there some occult relation between spheres
and hoops? Or has the wedding-ring something to do with it? It should be
understood, that these are questions addressed solely to male
mathematicians; for Mr. P. is unlike John Graham, and doesn't care to
cross-examine ladies.

* * * * *

SECRETION EXTRAORDINARY.

It is done by Mollusks. We can tell you even the precise kind--it is the