THE PRINCE OF LITTLE BOYS.
" THE Prince of Wales is to learn Gaelic ! and -very proper too," cries Gossip. The poor Prince is held by that respectable imper- sonation to be no more than a working model of little-boyhood, not only in all that beseems the well-brought-up, but also in the fancies and freaks of imaginary parental ostentation. When he goes to sea, as he is to wear Jack's jacket and trousers, so also should he dance a hornpipe on the cap ; when he goes to gcotland and dons plaid, he must gabble Gaelic ; in Wales he must blubber Welsh ; when the Queen goes to Ireland, he must sputter Erse,— and become a Ribandman P Gossip is full of a " proof " that he is brought up most admi- rably. Little Boy goes with his family to the Exposition, sees something that strikes his fancy, and, as little boys will do, im- propriates it. Stunned attendant of goods informs stunned at- tendant of illustrious visitor, and said attendant tells Mamma; who administers a right royal " box on the ear," making Little Boy restore and apologize : there is a delightful example of right bringing-up ! So Loyalty bursts forth into a spontaneous canticle of " God save Mamma!
How Gossip wishes to believe these tales ! how first Little Boy in the land does penance ; and how he " learns Gaelic "—only to read Ossian in the original and decide on the Macpherson contro- versy! Gossip has such a fund of imagination, and such a ten- dency to idealize everything, after her own grotesque homely way.
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