to the "Blue Lion," and usually never by the same
way every time, for fear of hardly ever being unable to get out of the
habit of it.

* * * * *

"_The Westminster Gazette_," writes a correspondent from Venice, "has
always been regarded by the Italian Press as the most insular of English
newspapers." Still we think that _La Difesa_, of which he encloses an
extract, goes too far in referring to our esteemed contemporary as _La
West-Monstergazette_.

* * * * *

AT THE PLAY.

"The Basker."

[Illustration: Miss Hilda Moore as _Mrs. Radford_.]

I imagine _The Basker_ to be designed by "CLIFFORD MILLS" as a Tract
against Dukes. And certainly her _Duke of Cheviot_ is a miracle of
obtuseness, who, if he had not been made a hero by his valet (an
original and happy creation), would have grievously belied the proud old
family motto, "_Je me sauvegarde_." _George de Lacorfe_, fashionable,
_faineant_ and forty, reader of _The Pink 'Un_, ardent bachelor,
_Basker_ in short, suddenly finds the dukedom of Cheviot thrust upon
him. Quite unlike his egregious ancestors, who went out and biffed their
enemies in the gate, especially the _Gorndykes_, who were an unpleasant
shifty kind of raiders, _George_ proposes to resign all the Cheviot
places, emoluments and responsibilities to his cousin and heir, _Richard
de Lacorfe_, on the day the said _Richard_ shall marry. Now _Richard_ is
a _de Lacorfe_ with the hereditary _Gorndyke_ blood and nose acquired on
the distaff side. This conspicuous organ inflames the anger of
_George's_ grandmother, the dowager, steeped as she is in the history
and prejudices of the family, while other members of the august circle
harbour unkind thoughts about their kinsman.

And well they might. If anyone had "wrong 'un" written all over him it
was _Richard_. Indeed his Roman nose was the straightest part of him.
The guileless _George_ who, though (or because) his grandmother
presented him every birthday after his majority with a copy of _The
History of the de Lacorfes_, knew and cared nothing about their glorious
and stormy past, didn't suspect the _Gorndyke_ rat in the _de Lacorfe_
granary. Spendthrift _Richard_, who is always getting urgent blue
envelopes from _Samuel & Samuel_, is bent on marrying for money the very
_Diana_ that _George_ loves for her blue hyacinth eyes. There is a
misunderstanding between _George_ and _Diana_ (of such a chil