riding in a Hansom cab, having been unable to pick up his own Cardinal's train. All this were hypercriticism, but that the name of Alma Tadema, R.A., is a public guarantee for academical accuracy.

Anyhow, Hypatia, if not "a famous victory"—is at least a fine spectacle, with some fine acting in it, but this is mainly confined to Mr. Beerbohm Tree. As the very heavy father, Mr. Kemble has not been allowed half a chance. Why should he not alternate characters with Mr. Fernandez, and for three nights a week appear as Cyril the Bishop, while Fernandez would be Hypatia's parent who has to grovel on the steps while his highly educated child is lecturing, who has to comfort her in her terror, and be turned out neck and crop whenever nobody on the scene wants him, which by the way, happens rather frequently.

The music to a Drama is generally a minor affair, but, in this instance, it is both major and minor, and has been specially written for the piece by Dr. Hubert Parry. As this play is not an "adaptation from the French," the music of this Composer is the only article de Parry about the piece, and, being strikingly appropriate, it proves an attraction of itself. It is conducted by the Wagnerian Armbruster, who, with his Merry Men, is hidden away under the stage, much as was the Ghost of Hamlet's father whom Hamlet irreverently styled "Old Truepenny." Altogether a notable piece. Prosit!

The B in a Box.

CHEAP LAW IN THE CITY.

Probable Development of the new "London Chamber of Arbitration," for the economical Settlement of Disputes without recourse to Litigation

"'Ave yer got sich a thing as a second-hand murder defence, Guv'nor?" "Could you direct me to the Breach of Promise Department?"

OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

The one volume entitled My Flirtations, written by Margaret Wynman (so like a real name!), and published by Messrs. Chatto and Windus, consists of short stories setting forth the varied experiences of an uncommonly 'cute young lady. It is a literary portfolio of lively sketches of men and women, "their tricks and their manners," all most amusing, and told in a naturally easy and epigrammatic style. Some of the characters are evidently intended for portraits, which anyone living in the London world could easily label—(which by changing "a" into "i" would be the probable consequence)—were he not baffled by the art of the skilful writer, and by the equally skilful illustrator—our Mr. Partridge—who have, the pair of them, combined to throw the reader off the right scent. The one mistake—not a fatal error, however,—which this authoress has made, is that of getting herself engaged in the last story. Not married, fortunately; only engaged. Consequently the match can be broken off. Let her be "engaged" on another volume. She can be married at the end of volume three, and may give us her experiences as the wife of Mr. Whoever-it-may-be. Will the clever authoress accept this well-meant hint from her literary and critical admirer, The Gallant Baron de B.-W.?

ROBERT WITH THE CHILDREN AT GILDHALL.

Well, I don't quite kno as I quite hunderstans what's bin a goin on in our old Sacred Gildall, or weather it's all xactly what sum of our werry sollemest Holldermen, or ewen our werry anshent Depputys, might admire; but I must say, for myself, that too thowsand more owdashus boys, and larfing gals, I never seed nor herd than I did on Toosday larst, for about fore hours, in old Gildall aforesaid!

Jest to show how the werry best, aye and the werry wisest on us, gets carried away by the site of swarms of appy children a enjoying thereselves, as praps they never did afore, I feels myself compelled to state, that our good kind Lord Mare was so delighted to see sich swarms of appy children all round him and looking up to him so appy and so grateful, that, jest afore it was time to go, he acshally told 'em a most wunderful story all about two great Giants as lived in the rain of King Lud, on Ludgate Hill. I was that estonished when he begun, as to amost think that Gog and Magog, as stood on both sides of him, would begin to grin, but that was, of course, only a passing delushun. But didn't all the children lissen with open mouths when the Lord Mare told 'em that one of the Giants had too heads, and the other three! and that a very good boy named Jack managed to kill 'em both!

And so all was ended but the cheering, and that the pore delited children kept up till they all marched out, smiling and appy, and wishing as such glorious heavenings was in store for them in grand old Gildall for many, many years to come, and with sitch a Lord Mare to see as everything was done as it had been done that jolly heavening.

Robert.

Dwarfs.—Of course there are dwarfs. Lots of 'em all over the world. At least no experienced traveller ever yet made a stay in any country without becoming acquainted with plenty of people who were "uncommonly 'short' just at that moment,"—"that moment" being when the impecunious traveller wanted to obtain a slight loan. The author of Borrow in Spain would have been an authority on such a subject.

Transformation Scene.—Dear Sir, I see by the paper that "Mr. Edmund Yates has been made a J. P." Odd! What does "J. P." stand for? Oh, of course, "Joe Parkinson." But does "E. Y." on becoming "J. P." cease to be "Moi-Même"?—Yours, M. Muddle.

A TOO INQUIRING MIND.

"How was I made, Mammie darling? Was I Knitted?"

THE LATEST TRADE OUTRAGE!

(Scene from the New and Unpopular Sensation Drama of "The Monopoly-Monster and the Maid Forlorn.")

["A large number of complaints have reached the Board of Trade with regard to increase in the new rates adopted by Railway Companies as from January 1 ... among other complaints of increase of rates for the conveyance of milk, grain, hay and other agricultural produce, firewood, live stock, coal and coke, iron and hardware."—Sir Courtenay Boyle to the Secretary of the Railway Companies Association.]