Excerpt
The New Roman Road.
[The present Pope has given his consent to build railroads in his dominions, which the former Pope was averse to. The following lines are predicated on his consent.]
Ancient Romans, ancient Romans—Cato, Scipio Africanus,Ye whose fame's eclips'd by no man's,Publius Æmilianus,Sylla, Marius, Pompey, Cæsar,Fabius, dilatory teaser,Coriolanus, and ye GracchiWho gave so many a foe a black eye,Antony, Lepidus, and Crassus;And you, ye votaries of Parnassus,Virgil, and Horace, and Tibullus,Terence and Juvenal, Catullus,Martial, and all ye wits beside,On Pegasus expert to ride;Numa, good king, surnamed Pampilius,And Tullus, eke 'yclept Hostilius—Kings, Consuls, Imperators, Lictors,Prætors, the whole world's former victors,Who sleep by yellow Tiber's brink;Ye mighty names—what d'ye think?The Pope has sanctioned Railway Bills!And so the lofty Aventine,And your six other famous hillsWill soon look down upon a 'Line.'Oh! if so be that hills could turnTheir noses up, with gesture antic,Thus would the seven deride and spurnA Roman work so unromantic:'Was this the ancient Roman Way. With tickets taken, fares to pay,Stockers and Engineers, perhaps—Nothing more likely—English chapsBrawling away, 'Go on!' for Ito,And 'Cut along!' instead of Cito;The engine letting off its steam,With puff and whistle, snort and scream;A smell meanwhile, like burning clothes,Flouting the angry Roman nose?Is it not Conscript Fathers shocking?Does it not seem your mem'ry mocking?The Roman and the Railway station—What an incongruous combination!How odd, with no one to adore him,Terminus—and in the Forum!'—[Punch. Good Advice.Somebody lays down the following rules to young men in business. They will apply equally well to young and old. 'Let the business of every one alone, and attend to your own.—Don't buy what you don't want. Use every hour to advantage, and study even to make leisure hours useful. Think twice before you spend a shilling; remember you have another to make for it. Find recreation in looking after your business, and so your business will not be neglected in looking after recreation.—Buy fair, sell fair, take care of the profits; look over the books regularly, and if you find an error, trace it out. Should a stroke of misfortune come upon you in trade, retrench—work harder, but never fly the track; confront difficulties with unflinching perseverance, and they will disappear at last, and you will be honored; but shrink from the task, and you will be despised.'
In Russia, coffins are generally brown, but children have pink, grown up unmarried girls sky blue, while other females are indulged with a violet color.
Barnums Safety Apparatus.Introduction.—Much has been said of late in and about New York on the subject of the adoption by steamboat proprietors of some apparatus that will in some measure secure the passengers against such casualties as have occurred on board the Excelsior and several other boats....