the enormous mass of reading-matter it contains may be gathered from the fact that its ordinary issue is fifty-two pages, a little larger than the Pall Mall, but containing five columns to the page and printed in the ordinary small type used in most daily papers, and known to printers as ‘brevier.’  To give an idea of the character of its contents is difficult.  It is partly a newspaper, partly a magazine.  The telegrams for the week are culled from the Argus.  If it were not for the addition of a fortnightly intercolonial letter, the way in which the week’s news is given would remind me of the St. James’s Budget.  It is divided into Parliament, town news, country news, intercolonial, home (i.e.  English), and foreign news, and may be described as a classified reproduction of the more important news in the Argus.

There are generally three or four leading articles somewhat of the character—­but of course not the quality—­of the Spectator; and the notes on the first page of the Liberal weekly are evidently imitated in a page of short editorial comments called ‘Topics of the Week.’  ‘Literature,’ by which is meant a two-column review of a single book and three or four short reviews, is another heading.  The ‘Ladies’ Column’ contains a leader after the manner of the Queen, fashion items, notes and queries, and every other week an excellent English letter by Mrs. Cashel Hoey, dealing with new plays, books and social events in London.  ‘The Wanderer,’ ‘The Traveller,’ ‘The Sketcher,’ ‘The Tourist,’ head single or short serial articles of one and a half or two columns in length, signed or not signed, but always either well written or describing something new and interesting.  ’Talk on ‘Change’ heads a column and a half of satirical or humorous notes, which are very much appreciated, and form a more leading feature of the paper than their merit warrants.  The anecdotes are often new and always admirably told, but the comments are weak.  ‘The Theatres’ contains one general critique of the newest play in Melbourne—­sometimes two—­followed by short detailed criticisms, hashed up from the Argus, of whatever is on the boards at the different theatres.  ‘The Essayist’ is one of the best features in the paper, though it appeals to a very limited audience.  Those written by a gentleman signing himself ‘An Eclectic,’ are exceptionally good—­better, as a rule, than most similar essays in the Saturday.  Dr. J. E. Taylor’s ‘Popular Science Notes’ are by no means equal to those Mr. Proctor used to contribute.  ’Original Poetry ’speaks for itself.  ‘Miscellany’ heads a column of humorous extract paragraphs, chiefly from American papers.  ‘The Novelist’ contains a serial.  ‘The Story-Teller’ a single story—­original.  This department is always well sustained, and no expense is spared in getting good work.  ‘All Sorts and Conditions of Men’ has just been running through the paper, Besant and Rice being favourite authors here.  James Payne, B. L. Farjeon and R. E. Francillon are other contributors whose names come into my mind.  Occasionally a colonial work is chosen, and the proprietors do a great deal of service in bringing out really promising authors.