an ancient
locomotive, apparently used on the Highland Railway in the time of the
Boer War. Dr. Edgar Hollam, of Brancaster, has sent a fine specimen of
a fossilised Norfolk biffin, and Miss Sheila Muldooney, of Skibbereen,
a copy of _The Skibbereen Eagle_ containing the historic announcement
that it had its eye on the Tsar of RUSSIA. Sir GEORGE ALEXANDER sends
a daguerreotype of himself in knickerbockers with side whiskers and
moustache, and Mr. BERNARD SHAW the first interview with himself
that he ever wrote. It appeared in _The Freeman's Journal_ in the
"seventies" and is illustrated with six portraits, in one of which
Mr. SHAW appears in an Eton suit and a tall hat, "the only one I ever
possessed."

Sir HENRY HOWARTH has forwarded a copy of _The Times_ containing
his first contribution to that journal, a letter occupying a
column-and-a-half of small print, on the mammoth as a domestic pet in
the Court of the early Moghul Emperors. Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL competes
with an essay which he wrote, while a schoolboy at Harrow, on the
dangers of Democracy; and Master ANTHONY ASQUITH has sent the rough
notes of a Lecture on "The Balliol Manner" which he delivered many
years ago before a select audience at Claridge's. The contrast in form
and thought between this crude essay and his recent lectures on the
mysticism of RABINDRANATH TAGORE is quite amazing. We may also briefly
note the MS. version of an early sonnet by Mr. EDMUND GOSSE, addressed
to Sir SIDNEY LEE; several safety-pins and a sponge-bag which once
belonged to CHARLOTTE BRONTE and are now entered for the competition
by Mr. CLEMENT SHORTER; and a hot-water bottle used by S. T. COLERIDGE
when he was writing "The Ancient Mariner," now in the possession of
Sir HERBERT BEERBOHM TREE.

The interesting point that emerges so far is that while little change
is observable in the physique, habits and manners of the British,
as illustrated by these relics, up to the last ten years or so, the
development in every direction, since the foundation of _The Daily
Lyre_, has been quite extraordinarily rapid and pronounced. For
instance, a cast of the head of a modern "nut" shows a compactness
which compares most favourably with the overgrown cranium of the
prehistoric boy reported on by Professor KEITH.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _The Captain of the Preparatory School._ "WELL,
YOUNGSTER, WHAT IS IT? WANT MY AUTOGRAPH?"]

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