is? Then we
come upon a delightful little picture of "_The Pet of the Hospital_";
and so she ought to be, for a prettier pet than this nursing Sister
it would be difficult to find. What becomes of her? Does she marry a
"Sawbones," or run off with a patient? Anyhow, she must be a "great
attraction," and if anything were to happen to the Baron, and he
couldn't be removed to his own palatial residence, he would say, "Put
me in a cab, drive me to the Furniss Hospital, and let me be in Pretty
Pet's Ward."

The Baron has just been dipping into Mr. JUSTIN HUNTLY McCARTHY's
"Pages on Plays" in _The Gentleman's Magazine_. JUSTIN HUNTLY
expresses his opinion that "_The Dancing Girl_ will almost certainly
be the play of the season; it will probably be the principal play of
the year." "Almost certainly" and "probably" save the situation. The
Baron backs _The Idler_ against _The Dancing Girl_ for a run. In the
same Magazine Mr. ALBERT FLEMING has condensed into a short story,
called _Sally_, material that would have served some authors for a
three-volume novel.

It is a pleasure for the Baron to be in perfect accord on any one
point with the Author of _Essays in Little_, and in proportion to
the number of the points so is the Baron's pleasure intensified. Most
intending readers of these Essays, on taking up the book, would be
less curious to ascertain what ANDREW LANG has to say about HOMER
and the study of Greek, about THEODORE BE BANVILLE, THOMAS HAYNES
BAYLEY, the Sagas, and even about KINGSLEY, than to read his opinions
on DICKENS and THACKERAY, placing DICKENS first as being the more
popular. The Baron recommends his friends, then, to read these Essays
of ANDREW's, beginning with THACKERAY, then DICKENS; do not, on any
account, omit the delightfully written and truly appreciative article
on CHARLES LEVER; after which, go as you please, but finish with "_the
last fashionable novel_," wherein our M.A., in his Merriest-Andrewest
mood, treats us to an excellent parody.

The Baron has appointed an extra Reader, and this Extra-Ordinary
Reader to the Baron has just entered upon the discharge of his duties
by reading _Monte Carlo, and How to Do It_, by W.F. GOLDBERG, and
G. CHAPLIN PIESSE (J.W. ARROWSMITH). He reports in the following
terms to his loved Chief:--This book achieves the task of combining
extraordinary vulgarity with the flattest and most insipid
dulness--not a common dulness, but a dulness redolent of low slang
and