succession. After scene like that, which to-night filled
House with fire and smoke, anything that follows is anti-climax. It was a
cruel fate, which GRANDOLPH bore uncomplainingly, and fought against with
quiet courage. Painfully nervous when he broke the silence of two years,
the still crowded House had difficulty in catching his opening sentences.
But, as he went on, he recovered himself, and regained mastery over an
audience evidently eager to welcome his permanent return to position of old
supremacy.

_Business done._--The Wanderer returned. Slow music. Air--"_Come, Kill the
fatted Calf._"

_Saturday_, 12:50, A.M.--Mr. G. just brought in Home-Rule Bill, amid
ringing cheers from Ministerialists, who rise to their feet, and wildly
wave their hats as PREMIER passes to table. Been some effective speaking on
this last night of Debate. CHAMBERLAIN, BLAKE, and JOHN MORLEY, each
excellent in varied way. Only few Members present to hear BODKIN insert
maiden speech in dinner-hour. A remarkable effort, distinguished, among
other things, by necessity of SPEAKER twice interposing, second time with
ominous threat that BODKIN could not be tolerated much longer. BODKIN,
resuming thread of his discourse, humbly apologised, kept his eye (BODKIN'S
eye) warily on SPEAKER, and, when he saw him preparing to rise for third
time, abruptly resumed his seat,--returned hurriedly to the needle-case, so
to speak,--and thus avoided worse things.

_Business done._--Home-Rule Bill read a First Time.

* * * * *

REAL "DIPLOMACY."

No doubt of it! A great diplomatic stroke on the part of Mr. JOHN HARE is
this revival of _Diplomacy_--_i.e._, SARDOU'S _Dora_ in an English-made
dress--at the Garrick Theatre. An unequivocal success (of which more "in
our next") on Saturday night for everybody; and, after the Play was over,
the audience, inspired by "the gods," called Mr. and Mrs. BANCROFT before
the curtain. Mrs. BANCROFT, in the course of an admirable little speech,
said, "If I stood here till next week, I should not be able to express all
I feel." Now as, by the right time, it was exactly 11:54 P.M. _Saturday
night_, this clever lady would certainly _not_ have been able in the time
to express all she felt, or to say all she would have liked to say, seeing
there were only six minutes left before "next week" began.

* * * * *

[Illustration: "GOING FOR THE TIMES!"--CHARGE OF "MERCENA