resolutely by the _little end_, and are puffing away furiously in each
other's eyes. Heaven knows where the contest will end! For ourselves, we
are content to watch the struggle from our quiet corner, convinced,
whichever end gains the victory, that John Bull will be made to smoke for
it; and when curious people ask us if we be _big-endians_ or
_little-endians_, we answer, that, to oblige all our friends, we smoke our
Manillas at _both ends_.

* * * * *


BALLADS OF THE BRIEFLESS.

No. 1.--THE RULE TO COMPUTE.

Oh, tell me not of empires grand,
Of proud dominion wide and far,
Of those who sway the fertile land
Where melons three for twopence are.
To rule like this I ne'er aspire,
In fact my book it would not suit!
The only _rule_ that I desire,
Is _a rule nisi to compute_.

Oh speak not of the calm delights,
That in the fields or lanes we win;
The field and lane that me invites
Is Chancery or Lincoln's Inn.
Yes, there in some remote recess,
At eve, I practise on my flute,