NURSERY EDUCATION REPORT.—No. 2.

THE ROYAL RHYTHMICAL ALPHABET,

To be said or sung by the Infant Princess.

A stands for Aristocracy, a thing I should admire;
B stands for a Bishop, who is clothed in soft attire;
C beginneth Cabinet, where Mamma keeps her tools;
D doth stand for Downing-street, the “Paradise of Fools;”
E beginneth England, that granteth the supplies;
F doth stand for Foreigners, whom I should patronize;
G doth stand for Gold—good gold!—for which man freedom barters;
H beginneth Honors—that is, ribbons, stars, and garters;
I stands for my Income (several thousand pounds per ann.);
J stands for Johnny Bull, a soft and easy kind of man;
K beginneth King, who rules the land by “right divine;”
L’s for Mrs. Lilly, who was once a nurse of mine.
M beginneth Melbourne, who rules the roast and State;
N stands for a Nobleman, who’s always good and great.
O is for the Opera, that I should only grace;
P stands for the Pension List, for “servants out of place.”
Q’s the Quarter’s Salary, for which true patriots long;
R’s for Mrs. Ratsey, who taught me this pretty song;
S stands for the Speech, which Mummy learns to say;
T doth stand for Taxes, which the people ought to pay;
U’s for the Union Work-house, which horrid paupers shun;
V is for Victoria, “the Bess of forty-one;”
W stands for War, the “noble game” which Monarchs play;
X is for the Treble X—Lilly drank three times a day;
And Y Z’s for the Wise Heads, who admire all I say.

[pg 63]

THE GENTLEMAN’S OWN BOOK.

A COMPLETE ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF ALL THE REQUISITES, DECORATIVE, EDUCATIONAL, AND RECREATIVE, FOR GENTILITY.

INTRODUCTION.

A popular encyclopædia of the requisites for gentility—a companion to the toilet, the salons, the Queen’s Bench, the streets, and the police-stations, has long been felt to be a desideratum by every one aspiring to good-breeding. The few works which treat on the subject have all become as obselete as “hot cockles” and “crambo.” “The geste of King Horne,” the “ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΝ” of King Jamie, “Peacham’s Complete Gentleman,” “The Poesye of princelye Practice,” “Dame Juliana Berners’ Book of St. Alban’s,” and “The Jewel for Gentrie,” are now confined to bibliopoles and bookstalls. Even more modern productions have shared the same fate. “The Whole Duty of Man” has long been consigned to the trunk-maker, “Chesterfield’s Letters” are now dead letters, and the “Young Man” lights his cigar with his “Best Companion.” It is true, that in lieu of these, several works have emanated from the press, adapted to the change of manners, and consequently admirably calculated to supply their places. We need only instance “The Flash Dictionary,” “The Book of Etiquette,” “A Guide to the Kens and Cribs of London,” “The whole Art of Tying the Cravat,” and “The Hand-book of Boxing;” but it remains for us to remove the disadvantages which attend the acquirement of each of these noble arts and sciences in a detached form.