By the way, if he doesn't start till next month, he will get out to Australia in the most beautiful season of the year—and first impressions are everything. Winkinson will make himself comfortable and devote a month to his friends.
A Distinguished Philanthropist will institute a Charity for the Providing of Dogs in Humble Circumstances with Muzzles.
JULY.
July will be a very hot month. Several cases of hydrophobia will occur. In each instance the dog will be killed as soon as he has bitten a sufficient number of people to amount to a conviction. The theory of prevention, by muzzling or chaining up, will be suggested by many people, but will continue to be disregarded, as entirely opposed to the spirit of the British Constitution.
A terrible act of injustice will be committed. A very sensible dog indeed will be killed as mad—for refusing to drink a drop of Thames water.
The Emperor Napoleon III. will issue a decree fixing the number of dishes to be contained in the dinner of every Frenchman who, after so many months of an enlightened and paternal government, may be able to afford one; the quality of pomatum to be used for his whiskers; and the number of antibilious pills he may take in the course of the week.
The Humane Society will be very active. Baths and wash-houses will be instituted for the benefit of individuals who may have been imprudent enough to bathe in the Serpentine.
M. Jullien will be engaged at the Surrey Zoological Gardens for a series of Concerts d'Eté. The feature of the season will be an entirely new set of quadrilles, entitled Les Bêtes, in which (in addition to the usual performers) all the animals of the menagerie will be introduced. It will make a very great noise indeed. As none of the animals will be muzzled or chained up, several members of the orchestra may be expected to make their last appearance on the occasion.