Wam now is the motto of

WE are here to-day and gone

the Londoner towards the end of July. The reflection that to-morrow never comes puts something of a damper upon those spirits who long to burst through the trammels of society's bondage, and be away over the mountain-top, down in the sunny vale, sailing across the seathe sea, the ever blue, the fresh, the free! (or words to that effect),-or, in some way or other, breathing a purer atmosphere, than that of foggy, smoky, feverish London.

VOL. VIII.-NO. XLIII.

The necessity of being here today wearies us; and the pleasure of sticking up on the door of our chambers, Gone to-morrow,' or rather, 'Back in ten minutes,' which simply means absence for an indefinite period, is a feeling, or a conglomeration of feelings, almost indescribable.

Uncertainty is a condition of our mundane existence. We are gone to-morrow. Whither? That is the question, as Hamlet has often observed to the footlights; and that is the inquiry to which the present

C

writer is now about to attempt a satisfactory reply. Experience is the maternal aunt of invention; and as regards our periodical exodus, we, wishing to try some new place this time,' generally consult divers friends concerning the merits of different watering-places, until, lest we should lose the season in perplexing deliberation, we decide, as we have decided twenty times before, upon Brighton. The fact is, thoroughbred Londoners cannot wrench themselves away from beloved London. They may babble of green fields, fresh eggs, larks (in the sky, not in a dish, with breadcrumbs), new milk, (which Londoners are perfectly afraid of when they do see it,) cream (which always disagrees with them), the bracing breezes on the hills (catch 'em walking up a hill!) the home-made bread (generally productive of indigestion in a Londoner), and the beautiful garden (of which he knows about as much as a fish would of boots)-but, talk as they will, all these delights must be, as the country-house advertisements say, 'within easy reach of town.' And for this reason down go Londoners to Brighton, well named Londonsuper-Mare.'

For the benefit of the readers of this magazine, the editor issued a commission of inquiry, with a view to the timely solution of the annual where-sha l-we-go-to difficulty.

The present writer having been most judiciously selected for the post of chief-commissioner, now proceeds to lay before his public and his editor, or vice versâ, the depositions of such witnesses as he has thought fit to examine.

Extracts from witness's diary with personal explanations, which shall be marked, when necessary, thus, pers. expl. :

'May 20. Came to the determination that we must go "somewhere" this year. "We" means wife and

self. Wife suggested Brighton. Said (that is, I said), "Oh, hang Brighton!" Wife said I needn't be so cross about it.

'Myself (Mr. Bingle.) Well, but you always suggest Brighton (which she does-pers, expl.)

'Mrs. B. (pettishly). Well, then, suggest something.better.

Mr. B. (posed, is silent and appears absorbed in the newspaper.)

་

May 21. Made up my diary tonight. It seems settled that we are to go to Brighton. I suppose there is some other watering-place besides Brighton. Let me see-why should there be? England is an island. It can't be bounded by Brighton on the north, south, east, and west coasts. Every proposal to go anywhere has, as far as we are concerned for the last five years, resulted in Brighton. What did I say at breakfast this morning? I may note it thus

'Mr. Bingle (unith a view to mollifying Mrs. Bingle, who he knows has never been beyond Boulogne). We might go abroad this year.

'Mrs. B. (not to be taken in all at once). Yes, so you said last year.

'Mr. B. Well, I intended to have gone, I'm sure, last year; but you know-(stops, foreseeing that he inay call up some unplusunt reminis, cences).

'Mrs. B. (recalling the unpleasant reminiscences). I do know; you went abroad with that what's-hisname,

'Mr. B. (knowing perfectly well whom she means). Who?

'Mrs. B. (pettishly.) Oh, you know well enough (which he does), Milsom. You're at his beck and call: he can get you to go anywhere.

'Mr. B. (allowing that there is a certain amount of truth in the charge, but objecting to the phrase used). Not at his beck and call,' my dear. I thought that a run to Dieppe, and so forth (he slily omits Paris) would benefit my health. You know the doctor said I wanted change.

'Mrs. B. (returning to her point). Well, you might have taken me with you.

'Mr. B. (with a slight distrust, founded upon experience). Nothing would have given me greater plea

sure.

'Mrs. B. gives a little incredulous laugh. Mr. B. looks at the newspaper. "Mr. B. (drawing a highly-coloured picture). Now what I should like to do would be to go by Folkestone to Boulogne, then by rail, without stopping in Paris, as far as Stras