to its contents, it will evidently afford him some interesting
half-hours with the best _crus_. The _connoisseur_ in claret should
go right through the book until he comes to "_Entre-deux-mers_," by
which time he will be as wise and as ready as was SOLOMON, _entre deux
meres_, to pronounce judgment. The history of the Pape Clement wine
takes us back to 1305, and is correctly told; but the Baron doubts
whether M. FERRET has ferreted out the real story of the Chateau
Haut-Brion. The fact is, that about the Twelfth Century, Seigneur THE
BARON O'BRIEN from County Clare--which, as you see, only requires a
"t" to make "Clare" into "Claret"--became the happy possessor of this
elegant vine-growing district. The Baron O'BRIEN having taken a great
deal of trouble about the good of his body, was one day struck by the
remark, "_in vino veritas_," and thought he would do something for the
good of his soul. So he founded a Mission, _La Mission O'Brien_, and
then died in the odour of the most celebrated _crus_. On his tomb were
the simple words, "_Il crut_." In the course of time, grass grew over
the stone, the Mission moved, sold the property, and another family of
Irish descent, O'BLIVION, would have wiped out every memorial of the
original pious founder, had it not been for the peasantry, who had
Gallicised O'BRIEN into HAUT BRION, under which name it has been known
for the last two centuries. If this is not the veracious history
of this celebrated wine, the Baron would like to know what is? How
sensible to give an order of merit to the best Claret-grower. Two
Barons of the House of ROTHSCHILD are thus distinguished. It was after
trying many other Clarets that Baron JAMES turned to Barons ALPHONSE
GUSTAVE and EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD, and uttered the memorable words,
"_Revenons a nos moutons_." It is a fascinating work, and the Baron
has only just put down these few notes as an instalment of a grand
book on wines, wine-growers, and wine-drinkers of all countries, which
he is on the point of bringing out, entitled _Folks and Grapes_.

[Illustration: Refreshment for the Baron.]

The Baron likes persons who take a hint kindly and act on it sensibly.
He says this _a propos_ of the Hairless Paper-pad Holder, the bald
idea of which was suggested in _Mr. Punch's_ pages. The paper-pad
will be found most useful to travelling writers who use ink, and those
authors whom gout, or some other respectable ailment, compels to work
recumbently in bed