author of this
rather lucrative speculation the world is very shortly to be at an end,
and indeed, it seems that we may as well make arrangements for
terminating all business transactions in 1866, for after that the
Millennium is to commence, when pecuniary affairs are to be a matter of
total indifference. If the author of the "_Coming Struggle_" is to be
believed--and between 100,000 and 200,000 copies of his "speculation"
appear to have been sold, which looks as if some people put faith in his
announcements--we may expect most of the public companies to begin
winding themselves up, and the Insurance offices especially should
already begin to refuse insurances on healthy lives, for after 1866 no
policy will be payable.

Such is the credulity of the age, that the author of the "_Coming
Struggle_" will, probably, realise by this sixpenny "spec.," a very nice
little competency. We would advise him, however, not to carry the
experiment too far, or he will invest in paper and print all that he has
made: and he has already shown symptoms of a tendency to over-do the
thing by bringing out a "_Supplement to the Coming Struggle_," price
also 6_d_. Sequels are never successful, and having finished off the
world comfortably in his first book, we think him injudicious to try the
experiment of another. Poor MURPHY made a hit with one "_Weather
Almanack_", and, if he had left the thing alone, he might have preserved
his reputation as a prophet, but when, unfortunately, he risked another
shot and predicted a "coldest day," on which the thermometer was at 60
in the shade, there was an end to his "_Weather Almanack_" as a source
of income. We advise the "_Coming Struggle_" gentleman to be warned in
time and not to speculate in "supplements," or "sequels," but to go
altogether on a new tack if he wishes to "put money in his purse," which
is probably the chief aim of his "philosophy."

* * * * *

A ROYAL "LUNCH" PREVENTED.

It must be a relief, indeed, to HER MAJESTY to get away to Scotland,
where in the retirement of Balmoral she is at least free from the
importunities of that sort of loyalty which deprives her of the common
comforts of a private individual. Provincial Mayors are perhaps the
greatest pests that Royalty has to encounter; and the Preston
Corporation seems to have made itself a fearful bore on the return of
the QUEEN from Scotland. No sooner was it understood that HER MAJESTY
would stop