Literary Extracts.

Undergraduate ( v ? ith hesitation)— "Why , sir—hemhem— " Examiner— " Come , come , answer if you knoAV . " Undergraduate— " Well , sir , I suppose that little affair Avith Potipkar ' s irife 1 " For the following Ave do not attempt in any Avay to vouch , although Ave have heard its authenticity strenuously asserted : —Examiner—¦ " Why Avas John the Baptist beheaded

?"—Undergraduate ( falteringly )— "Because he would dance Avith Herodias ' s daughtei-. "—Cornhill Magazine . LITTLE MISS PEECIIER AND HER LOA ' AITAIE . —Little Miss Peecher , from her little official dwelling-house , Avith its little windows like the eyes in needles , and its little doors like the covers of school-books , was very observant indeed ofthe object of hor quiet affections . Love , though

said to be afflicted Avith blindness , is a vigilant ivaickman , and Miss Peecher kept him on double duty over Mr . Bradley Headstone . It was not that she Avas naturally given to playing the spy—it was not that she was at all secret plotting , or mean—ifcAvas simply that she loved the irresponsive Bradley with all the primitive and homely stock of loA'e that had never been examined or certificated out of her . If her faithful slate had had the latent

qualities of sympathetic paper , and its pencil those of invisible ink , many a little treatise calculated to astonish the pupils would have come bursting through the diy sums in school-timo under the Avarming influence of Miss Poacher ' s bosom . For , oftentimes when school Avas not , and her calm leisure and calm little house Avere her own , Miss Peecher would commit to the confidential slate an

imaginary description of how , upon a balmy evening at dusk , two figures might have been observed in the market-garden ground round the corner , of whom one , being a manly form , bent over a womanly form of short stature and some compactness , and breathed iu a low voice the Avords , "Emma Peecher , Avilfc thou be my own ? " after which the womanly form ' s head reposed upon the manly

form ' s shoulder , and the nightingales tuned up . Though all unseen , and unsuspected by the pupils , Bradley Headstone even pervaded the school exercises . Was geography in question ? He Avould come triumphantly flying out of Vesuvius and . / Etna ahead of the lava , and would boil unharmed in . the hob springs of Iceland , and Avould float majestically down the Ganges and tho Nile . Did history

chronicle a king of men ? Behold him in pepper-and-salt pantaloons , with his watch-guard round his neck . Were copies to be Avritten ? In capital B ' s and H ' s most of the girls under Miss Peecher ' s tuition Avere half a year ahead of every other letter in the alphabet . And mental arithmetic , administered by Miss Peecher , often devoted itself to providing Bradley Headstone with a Avardrobe of

fabulous extent .- fourscore and four neckties at two and ninepeiice-halfpeiiny . two gross of silver -watches at four pounds fifteen and sixpence , seA onty-four black hats at eighteen shillings ; and many similar superfluities . — "Our Mutual Friend , " by Charles Bicl-ens .

WHEN we hoar a man dwelling particularly upon a certain good deed of his own , and repeatedly boasting of the same , if his words are true , if he has actually performed the good deed , ive naturally conjecture that he seldom does the like ; because , if the performance of such a praiseworthy action were not a wonderfully new thing to him he would not so often speak about

it . When circumstance has so far thrown itself in our way , that Ave cannot turn either to the ri ght or left without entailing degradation and ruin upon ourselves and others , it is often better to let this circumstance mould our actions , and to keep going on in the path ire think is right , than to turn back ; for , as we press on , the power of circumstance will grow weaker and Aveakerwill lose its holdand die bthe way ; then shall we

, , y stand alone in triumphant consciousness of right , with no weight of wrong clinging to us . Honour is a signal virtue , containing Avithm itself a complement of tho other virtues , easily lost if not carefully watched—once lost , difficult to recover . — J . B . S .

Poetry.

Poetry .

THE CAPTAIN : A LEGEND OF THE NAVY . He that only rules by terror Does grievous wrong . Deep as Hell I count his error . Let him hear my song . Brave the captain was : the seamen Made a gallant crew , Gallant sons of English freemen ,-Sailors bold and true .

But they hated his oppression , Stern he was and rash ; So for every light transgression Doom'd them to the lash . Day by day more harsh and cruel Seem'd the captain's mood . Secret wrath , like smother'd fuel , Burnt in each man's blood .

Yet he hoped to purchase glory , Hoped to make the name Of his vessel great in story , Wheresoe'er he came . So they past by capes and islands , Slimy a harbour-mouth , Sailing under palmy islands Far within the South .

On a day when they were going ' O'er the lone expanse , In the North , her canvas flowing , Hose a ihip of France . Then the captain's colour heighten'd , Joyful came his speech : But a cloudy gladness lighten'd In the eyes of each .

" Chase , " he said : the ship flew forward , And the wind did blow ; Stately , lightly went she Nor ward , Till she near'd the foe . Then they look'd at him they hated , Had what they desired -. Mute with folded arms they waited—Not a gun was fired .

But they heard the foeman's thunder Roaring out their doom ; All the air was torn in sunder , Crashing went tlle boom . Spars were splinter'd , decks were shatter'd , Bullets fell like rain ; Over masts and decks were scattered Blood and brains of men .

Spars were splintered , decks were broken : Every mother's son—¦ Down they dropt—no word was spoken—Each beside his gun . On the decks as they Avere lying , Were their faces grim . In their blood , as they Avere dying , Did they smile on him .

Those in whom he had reliance For his noble name , With one smile of still defiance Sold him unto shame . Shame and wrath his heart confounded , Pale he turn'd and red , Till himself was deadly Avounded

Falling on the dead . Dismal error ! fearful slaughter ! Years have wander'd by . Side by side beneath the water Crew and captain lie ; There the sunlit ocean tosses O'er them mouldering , And the lonely sea-bird crosses With one waft of wing . —lESKTSOS .