Volume 102 — THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS.

From Forty-Two to Ninety-Two! A full half-century of story! And now, our Century's end in view. May's back once more in vernal glory, And with it brings your Jubilee, (Punch came to his one year before you!) "Many Returns," Ma'am, may you see, And honoured be the hour that bore you! Good faith! it scarcely seems so long To us old boys, who can remember The tale, the picture, and the song We pored o'er by the wintry ember; And how our young and eager eyes Were kept from childhood's easy slumbers By the awakening ecstasies Of cheery coloured Christmas Numbers. We loved great GILBERT, Glorious JOHN!— Sir JOHN to-day, good knight, fine painter! Our eyes dwelt lingeringly upon His work, by which all else showed fainter. His dashing pencil "go" could give To simplest scene; a wondrous gift 'tis! How his bold line could make things live In those far Forties and old Fifties! And humorous "PHIZ" and spectral READ, Made us alternate smile and shiver. Ah! ghosts, Ma'am, then were ghosts indeed, Born of the brain and not the liver. You shared our LEMON and our LEECH; Our BROOKS for you ran bright and sunny. May you live long, to limn and teach. Be graphic, genial, sage, and funny! We like you well, we owe you much, True record, blent with critic strictures, And culture of the artist touch Through half a century of pictures. We wish you many gay returns Of this May day! You're brighter, plumper Than then; and Punch, who envy spurns, Drinks your Good Health, Ma'am, in a bumper!