AT A ROSE- SHOW. 289 



In vain I essayed to mitigate his woe by cheerful, 

 I may say humorous, remarks as to the melon- 

 cholic retribution which would surely overtake 

 those unrighteous men. It was the sort of thing, 

 he informed me, with which pleasantness had no 

 connection whatever, belonging, as it did, to 

 that sphere of incidents which he described as 

 being "a long way above a joke." Then, with 

 a stern but sorrowful expression, which sig- 

 nified, I thought, that he was going to punish the 

 universe severely, in the discharge of a very pain- 

 ful duty, he turned to me and said : " / shall not 

 exhibit melons again.'' 



Let not the young Rosarian be thus daunted. 

 On the other hand, if victory comes, let him 

 remember always that she only stays with the 

 meek. Where success brings pride, then, as Lamb 

 writes in a Latin letter to Gary, commutandum est 

 he I he I he I cum hcti! hen! hen! and all men 

 shall laugh at the braggart's fall. 



Again I say, in prosperity or adversity, let 

 him keep the equal mind : 



" Who misses or who wins the prize, 

 Go, lose or conquer as you can ; 

 But if you fail, or if you rise, 



Be each, pray God, a gentleman." 



