all relics and reminders of the old papal days
is intense and pervading. It is to be wished that the Italian Republic
were as settled and conservative as is that of the French. Spain is now
going through its anti-Catholic fever; the banishment of all priests for
five years seems an extreme measure; but, after it, there is room for
hope that better days than those of Isabella of Castile await this long
fallow but once intellectually fertile land. The annexation of Portugal
is expected at least as soon as the present king dies; certainly no heir
of his will ever wear a crown.

The Pope! If he had only read, pondered, and _learned by heart_ Victor
Hugo's poem, "Le Pape," he might perhaps be still at home in the
Vatican. But the "infallible" can never learn. At Constantinople he is
at least safe. The Greek government there is secure against all present
foes. Then, the triarchate; is it not surprising? Pope, Patriarch, and
Primate of Canterbury! Roman, Greek, and Anglican, united at last! A
dream of the last century ecclesiastics is fulfilled,--alas, too late;
for the glory has departed from the tiara, the crozier, and the mitre
altogether.

* * * * *

The Sultan, it is said, has found an asylum in Persia. The Shah allows
him a palace, but he is shorn already of half his _hareem_. Perhaps the
fate of Lear may be before him yet, though not from filial ingratitude.

_February 4th, 1931._

Important cable news this morning is, that the German republican
government last evening passed the bill accepting the proposal of France
to purchase Alsace and Lorraine for 300,000,000 francs. More interesting
still, a bill was also introduced, and is likely to pass, _ceding_ to
the French all the rest of the territory on the west side of the Rhine
bordering on France. The long-coveted natural boundary will thus be
theirs. How infinitely better this than war upon war for revenge and
conquest!

The tunnel under the British Channel is nearly finished. It is to be
constantly illuminated with electric light, and, being a joint national
work, will be a free public (not _high_way exactly, but) way, for all.

Austria-Hungary appears to be, for a time at least, tranquil. The
emperor has conceded all that the constitutionalists required of him.
There are now only four emperors in the world:--those of Austria,
Brazil, India, and China; and the first two are