events only a very few of the words, he
continues to pick up much curious information which probably would be
novel to slower coaches than himself.

Interesting account of JOSEF ISRAELS in the _Magazine of Art_; but his
portrait makes him look gigantic, which JOSEF is in Art, but not in
stature. Those who "know not JOSEF," if any such there be, will learn
much about him, and desire to know more. "Baroness," says the Baron,
"you are right: let Hostesses and all dinner-givers read 'Some Humours
of the Cuisine' in _The Woman's World_." The parodies of the style
of Mr. PATER, and of a translation of a Tolstoian Romance in _The
Cornhill Magazine_, are capital. In the same number, "Farmhouse Notes"
are to The Baron like the Rule of Three in the ancient rhyme to the
youthful student,--"it puzzles _me_." It includes a few anecdotes of
some Farm'ous Persons; so perhaps the title is a crypto-punnygraph.

All Etonians should possess _The English Illustrated Magazine_
(MACMILLAN'S), 1889-90, for the sake of the series of papers and
the pictures of Eton College. There is also an interesting paper on
the Beefsteak Room at the Lyceum by FREDERICK HAWKINS. Delightful
Beefsteak Room! What pleasant little suppers--But no matter--my supper
time is past--"Too late, too late, you cannot enter here," ought
to be the warning inscribed over every Club or other supper-room,
addressed chiefly to those who are of the Middle Ages, as is the
mediaeval

BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

* * * * *

FASHIONS IN PHYSIC.

[The President of the British Pharmaceutical Conference lately
drew attention to the prevalence of fashion in medicine.]

A fashion in physic, like fashions in frills:
The doctors at one time are mad upon pills;
And crystalline principles now have their day,
Where alkaloids once held an absolute sway.
The drugs of old times might be good, but it's true,
We discard them in favour of those that are new.

The salts and the senna have vanished, we fear,
As the poet has said, like the snows of last year;
And where is the mixture in boyhood we quaff'd,
That was known by the ominous name of Black Draught?
While Gregory's Powder has gone, we are told,
To the limbo of drugs that are worn out and old.

New fads and new fancies are reigning supreme,
And calomel one day will be but a dream;
While folks have asserted a chemist might toil
Through his shelves, and find out he