Yours, DIOGENES ROBINSON.

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A RATHER LARGE ORDER.—­Amongst the many suggested plans for housing the collection of pictures once offered by Mr. TATE to the Nation, is a scheme for turning the Banqueting-hall at Whitehall to a useful and good account.  As a thoughtful Artist has observed in this connection, “At this moment the spacious building is tied round the necks of the Members of the United Service Institution like a white elephant.”

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A MONEY-LENDER said he had never been inside a Church since the day he looked in at hymn-time, and heard them singing, “With one per cent. let all the earth,” and he didn’t want to hear anymore.

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TRYING TO THE TEMPER.—­Mrs. R. says nothing can induce her to eat cross buns, as they are sure to disagree with her.

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[Illustration:  TRIALS AT THE LAW COURTS.

A TIMID BUT ERUDITE “LEADER” IS URGED TO TAKE A “BAD OBJECTION.”]

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OUR BOOKING-OFFICE.

All who are interested in the theatrical celebrities of past times will do well to read a brief, indeed, a too brief paper, about DOROTHY JORDAN, written by FITZGERALD MOLLOY, for The English Illustrated Magazine of this month.  The Baron does not remember if THACKERAY touched on the story of this talented Actress in his Lectures on “The Four Georges;” but the sad finish to the brilliant career of Mrs. JORDAN could hardly have escaped the great Satirist as being one instance, among many, illustrating the wise King’s advice as to “not putting your trust in Princes;” “or,” for the matter of that, and in fairness, it must be added, “in any child of man.”  Poor DOROTHY, or DOLLY JORDAN! but now a Queen of “Puppets,” and now—­thus, a mere rag-dolly.  Ah, CLARENCE!—­“False, fleeting, perjured CLARENCE!” as SHAKSPEARE wrote of that other Duke in Crookback’d RICHARD’s time, for whom the “ifs” and “ands” of life were resolved for ever in a final “butt.”

In the issue for 1891 of that most interesting yearly Annual, The Book-Worm, for which the Baron, taking it up now and again, blesses ELLIOT STOCK, of Paternoster Row, there is a brief but interesting account of The Annexed Prayer-Book, which, after some curious chances and changes, was at last ordered to be photographed page by page, without being removed from the custody of Black Rod.  “By means of an elaborate system of reflecting,” the process of photographing was carried on in the House of Lords.  It is satisfactory to all Book-worms to know that so important a work was not undertaken without even more than the usual amount of reflection.

THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

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THE HAMLET IN THE HAYMARKET.