IV.—­OF ITALY.

Here in the land to which you have come you shall find all men lovers of Italy.  For there is not one of those that watched her long and grievous struggles, that did not welcome with a heartfelt joy her deliverance, both from foreign yoke and from native tyrants.  Here too they know that the example of your illustrious family, the wisdom and moderation of your father not less than the unquenchable valour and bodily strength of your grandfather, his contempt of danger, his devotion to duty, shone forth as a star before the eyes of all Italians, even in their darkest hours.  Who is there that hath not the liveliest hope that all prosperity may be confirmed to that beloved country, that she may advance from greatness to greatness, that her kings may be just, her people free and contented.  Let your illustrious family, then, still address itself to the work with courage and confidence, that under them Italy may stand forth an example to the nations of the world.

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Queer queries.—­Quotation wanted.—­Can anybody inform me where this exquisite line occurs—­

  “Heredity, thou mother of our race!”

I fancy it must be by Lord Tennyson, but I cannot find it either in In Memoriam or the Idylls of the King.  The line has been much admired by competent critics.  A beautiful little volume of verse, recently published, is The Fall of Cetewayo.  Possibly the line may be in that book.—­P.S.—­Is not £76 10s. 6d. too high a price to charge for bringing out an Epic Poem of 8000 lines, even if, as is asserted, there have been “no sales"?—­Laureate presumptive.

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MEREDITHOMANIA.—­Miss Hannah Lynch (Author of George Meredith—­a Study) is almost incoherently angry with “the inexcusable and comical consistency of stupidity” manifested by all those who are not, in the fullest sense, “Meredith-men”—­or women.  She is, however, so dogmatic and disdainful, that one suspects her of a tendency to substitute for the judicial verdict of the critical judgment-seat, the arbitrary and excessive punishment of “Lynch-law!”

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WISBECH Wine.—­Liberal Supply.  The Brand of 1891 acknowledged to be quite beyond competition.

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“Off to MASHERLAND.".—­Nothing from “GRANDOLPH the Explorer” this week.  He’s gone to the Diggings.

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Riding the Pig.

[Mr. Healy said he did not deny that after five years of liberal education the present Chief Secretary had greatly improved....  In reply to Mr. BALFOUR’s inquiry, whether he could count upon Mr. HEALY’s support in a Local Government Bill for Ireland, Mr. Healy replied, “Certainly!”]

[Illustration]