54 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



Coming through the gorse 



Said Simple Simon 



To the Flyman, 

 ' How about that horse?' " 



This verse might lead on to a story. Perhaps this is the 

 way most poetry is commenced. If so, is this an inspira- 

 tion, or not? If not, what? Write, and ask Tennyson. 

 By the way, a p7'opos of national songs and proverbs, I don't 

 think, on reflection, that when I was once starting in the 

 latter line, as proverb-maker, I would ever say to anyone 

 else, " Let who will make the songs, I'll do the proverbs ;" 

 because, why shouldn't I do both ? Songs pay better than 

 Proverbs. Get Santley to sing one Song, and the fortune 

 of composer, versifier, and publisher is made. But there's 

 nothing to be got out of some one's delivering a Proverb. 

 There may be, as the entj'epreneurs say, "money in it," but 

 I don't see it, at present. 



Happy TJionglit. — To ask Spoker something more about 

 Clumber's horse. Spoker as a carriage-builder (or mender) 

 must know something about horses. If he doesn't, he looks 

 like it. There's something about Spoker's hat, which he 

 always wears, and his trousers, (which, of course, he is never 

 without — mais cela va sans dii'e) that suggest, to my mind, 

 a knowledge of horseflesh. While at work, the line where 

 his upper half terminates is clearly defined by apron-strings 

 round his waist : his costume being long apron, no coat, 

 and very well brushed hat, and the ends of his sporting 

 trousers seen below, so that when he steps into the road 



