Saturday.—­Met again.  Really quite pleased to have made the acquaintance of such a nice fellow as my opponent.  Full of fun and anecdote.  On comparing notes, we found that we had entirely forgotten what on earth we had quarrelled about.  So shook hands and arranged that if we fired at anyone, our target should be the Police.

* * * * *

A PLEA FOR THE CART-HORSE PARADE SOCIETY.

  All who love English horses, and back English Trade,
  Should welcome the annual “Cart-Horse Parade.” 
  No function of Fashion on Racecourse or Row
  Should “fetch” our equestrian enthusiast so. 
  First-rate English horses in holiday guise! 
  A sight that to please a true Britisher’s eyes. 
  And then the Society—­surely that will be
  Supported by Britons.  Ask good WALTER GILBEY
  (Cambridge House, Regent’s Park).  He will tell you no doubt
  What the C.-H.P.S. have, some time, been about. 
  Fancy prizes to Carmen for care of their horses! 
  That charms a horse-lover.  To plump the resources
  Of such a Society—­by their support
  In subscriptions—­all friends of the horse and of sport
  Should surely be eager; so, horse-lovers willing,
  Despatch the gold pound plus the odd silver shilling!

* * * * *

HISTORY AND ART.—­Doubts have been thrown on the genuineness of the story about St. ELIZABETH of Hungary as illustrated by Mr. CALDERON’s well-known and striking picture in this year’s Academy.  Mr. CALDERON affirms, according to the best of his high lights, that he has simply portrayed the naked truth.  So far, in a certain sense, the Court is with him.  Still, historians are neither unbiassed nor infallible, and painters are inclined to sacrifice much for effect.  For our part, we should be inclined to refer the situation, which this picture illustrates, to some incident in the life of the celebrated Miss ELIZABETH MARTIN, generally known as “BETTY MARTIN.”  The legend may be found in some work by that voluminous writer Finis, or by the oft-quoted Ibid, under the quaint heading, Historia Mei et Beati Martini.

* * * * *

THE PICK OF THE PICTURES. (AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY.)

[Illustration:  No. 164.  Pilling Him.  Affectionate wife insisting on the invalid taking a Bolus.  Sidney Paget.]

[Illustration:  No. 259.  “A Select Committee.”  H. Stacy Marks, R.A.]

No. 278. “The Fleecy Charge.”  A title that suggests an attempt at extortion, but is here applied to A picture in wool-work by the veteran, T. SYDNEY COOPER, R.A.  Of course whatever the artist may ask for it, it will always be “sheep at the price.”

No. 388. “Writing a Message to St. Helena.”  Hope St. Helena received it.  Probably forwarded by a winged messenger as suggested by the name of the artist, which is EYRE CROWE, A.