with a way-ward wo-man, My state you see might have been

..do.

The following is Mark Lemon's last complete song. I have before me a rough sketch of what was intended to be the second of the series, and it is in truth Mark Lemon's very last writing in this branch of composition. It is written in pencil on a sheet of blue-wove foolscap paper. There is no title to the design. The words are as follows:

"We are two heroes come from strife:

Where have we been fighting?

On the battle-field of life,

Doing wrong, wrong righting.

"Forth we went a gallant band

Youth, Love, Gold, and Pleasure,

Who, we said, can us withstand?

Who dare lances measure ?

"Round about the world we went;
Ne'er were such free lances
Victors, in each tournament

Winning beauty's glances.

“Gold at last his prowess lost,

And when he departed

Pleasure's lance was rarely crossed,

Pleasure grew faint-hearted."

A few words in conclusion about Mark Lemon as the Christmas contributor of London Society. For many years past he occupied the foremost place in the Christmas number of that periodical. As long as I knew him he always had a short story in hand for London Society. It frequently happened that he did this work in the summer. I found him one summer evening in Bedford Street (with all the windows open, and letting in the sultry vegetable air of Covent Garden) engaged upon a Christmas story.

“I am glad you are come," he said, taking off his spectacles. "The Muse is a halting faggot to-night; I can do nothing with her."

"What are your intentions with regard to her ladyship?" I asked.

"I have been trying to induce her to help me with a Christmas story for London Society. They like the copy early, and I always try to let them have it."