(_Example of the Very Latest French Exercise._)
Our neighbour has many Colonies. The Colonies of our neighbour are very
productive. Why should we not have (some) productive Colonies? The cook
is more valiant than the lion. Let us send the Ambassador to the bad
Queen. The bad Queen has pulled the nose of the Ambassador. She is very
obstinate, but she is not very amiable. The soldiers, the sailors, the
ships, the stores, and the ammunition will soon arrive. The island has
a very good soil, but not a very good climate. Why have the soldiers
and the sailors not yet marched to the capital? Because the soldiers
and the sailors have all got the fever. Why have they got the fever?
Because our neighbour is wicked. Does it rain like this every day? Yes,
it rains every day in the wet season. Which, then, is the dry season in
the island? There is no dry season in the island. It is right to live
for glory. There is much glory in shooting barbarians. When the island
is conquered, who will go and live in it? My tailor, my butcher, my
wife's mother (the mother of my wife), and all my creditors, I hope,
will go and live in it. We are not so rich as we once were. Why are we
not so rich as we once were? Because we have spent all our money in
trying to have big Colonies like our neighbour. If our neighbour is so
wicked, why should we imitate him? He is only wicked because he has
(the) big Colonies.
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[Illustration: "ALL'S WELL!"
BRITISH LION AND RUSSIAN BEAR (_together_). "WHAT A PITY WE DIDN'T KNOW
EACH OTHER BEFORE!"]
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[Illustration: POLITICS AND GALLANTRY.
_First 'Arry._ "HAY, WOT'S THIS 'ERE ROSEBERY A TORKIN' ABAAT? BLESS'D
IF HE AIN'T A GOIN' TO DO AWY WITH THE LORDS!"
_Second 'Arry_ (_more of a Don Juan than a Politician_). "DO AWY WITH
THE 'OLE BLOOMIN' LOT O' LORDS, IF HE LIKES, AS LONG AS HE DON'T DO AWY
WITH THE LIDIES!"]
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