things to be given to the naked? He thinks not of them; for he wears
fleecy hosiery next his skin, and being in all things dressed in defiance
of the season--keeps a merry Christmas.

Gentle reader, we wish you a merry Christmas; but to be truly, wisely
merry, it must not be the Christmas of the CHOKEPEARS. That is the
Christmas of the belly: keep you the Christmas of the heart. Give--give.

Q.

* * * * *


COMMERCIAL PANIC.--RUMOURED STOPPAGE IN THE CITY.

There is in the city a noted place for deposits, much resorted to by
certain parties, who are in the habit of giving drafts upon it very
freely, when applied to for payment. We regret to state that if the
severity of the weather continues, a stoppage is expected in the quarter
hinted at, and as the issues are at all times exceedingly copious, the
worst results may be anticipated. Our readers will at once perceive that,
in attributing such an effect as total stoppage to such a cause as
continued frost, we can only point to one quarter which is in the habit of
answering drafts; and, as further delicacy would be useless, we avow at
once that _Aldgate Pump_ is here alluded to. We understand that, as the
customers are chiefly people of straw, it is intended to see what effect
straw will have in averting the calamity. We were sorry to see the other
day a very large _bill_ upon a quarter hitherto so respectable. We are
aware that its exposed condition gives every one a handle against it, and
we are, therefore, the more circumspect in giving currency to every idle