given by the "Imperial Calendar" for 1871, we shall find great changes. The total of 154 persons holding office now in the Lord Steward's department is no doubt considerable. But in 1738 the number seems to have been 198, or between one-third and one-fourth more. The five "table-deckers," whom Sir Charles Dilke falls foul of, were then seven. Whole departments, many officers

three

66

"yeoman," the "Master of the Tenniscourt; "the "Keeper of the Lions, Lionesses, and Leopards at the Tower;" and finally, in sharp contrast to the last named, an idyllic personage whose title is redolent of bygone days, the "Strewer of Herbs," with her salary of £24 per annum. One branch of the department, however, has increased by nearly a third, the Medical some of each with names branch, over which Sir Charles Dilke made to make a philologer's mouth water - have merry. Fifteen persons in all can be vanished altogether, the "Buttery," viewed as connected with it in 1738, as with its "gentleman," " yeoman,' and against the 21 of 1871, including a humble (6 grooms; the 66 Spicery," with "operator for the teeth," who now figures its clerk; the " Acatery," with its "ser- full-blown as Surgeon-Dentist." What, jeant," "sole clerk," and " yeoman of however, Sir Charles Dilke did not say. salt stores; "the "Poultery," the "Scald- and what ought to be borne in mind, is ing-House," the 'Wood Yard." The that these appointinents are to a great exKing's Privy Kitchen " and the "House- tent viewed as simple acts of recognition hold Kitchen" are no longer distinct. Five by the head of the State of professional "turn-broachers have disappeared from eminence, so that it is very nearly absurd the two; the "salsary man and the "fur- to fall foul of the twenty-one physicians, ner are gone from the "Pastry; car- surgeons, &c., to the Queen, as it would be takers" and "tail-car-takers" are no more, to number the barristers who are "of and with the "bread-bearer " the "cock and counsel to Her Majesty," and to ask crier" has made his exit. The amount of whether the Queen requires the services retrenchment would appear greater still of so many silk gowns. And the same apwere it not that some new officers have plies to the very meagre recognition by been introduced, such as the "steam-appa- the Crown of Art and Literature. Sir ratus man" undreamt of in 1738, or the Charles Dilke, it may be observed, does three gardeners of the Royal gardens of not seem to have ventured to make a butt Windsor, Hampton Court, and Buckingham to his audience of the Poet Laureateship, Palace, whose predecessors probably fig- seeing who fills the office, although the ured originally on the staff of the Woods Historical Painter to the Queen, the Porand Forests before this became a public trait Painter to the Queen, and the Lithodepartment. grapher in Ordinary fell under his ban. For our part, we should say, if it came to be felt any benefit to art, we should be quite willing to see, not one, but three or four "Sculptors to the Queen," "Engrayers to the Queen," "Water-colour Painters to the Queen," "Etchers, to the Queen," &c., &c. But it may gratify Sir Charles Dilke to hear that there was of old a "Serjeant Painter" to the King, as well as a "Painter in Enamel," whose offices have disappeared.

If we turn now to the department of the Lord Chamberlain (which seems to have drawn within itself one or two formerly independent or quasi-independent departments, such as the Chapels Royal, the office of the Master of the Great Wardrobe, the Gentlemen-at-arms, and Yeomen of the Guard), we find in like manner a considerable diminution of the personnel. As near as the comparison can be made, and including a number of persons who under George II. are included within the The last department to be noticed is by Lord Chamberlain's department, but with- far the smallest, that of the Master of the out salaries being affixed to their names, Horse. Here too, in comparing 1738 to and who may have been mere honorary 1871, we find considerable retrenchment, purveyors, as well as Wardens and Ran--twenty-six employés instead of thirtygers of the Royal Parks, Woodwards, four. It is true that the "Royal Hunt," Stewards of Manors, and others who now under the Master of the Buckhounds (who, would form part of a public department, the corresponding totals appear to be about 575 in 1738 against 430 in 1871, the dimunition being almost exactly that of one-fourth. "Cup-bearers," "Carvers," "Gentlemen Sewers," "Sewers of the Chamber," have disappeared. So have also the Master of the Revels," with his

under George II., was under the Lord Chamberlain,) is now conjoined with it, bringing an additional contingent of eight, besides the Master and the Hereditary Grand Falconer. The details of this subdepartment do not appear in the work of 1738, but we do find there another highlypaid officer - implying also probably a

separate staffwho has completely vanished, the "Master of the Harriers and Fox Hounds," with his salary of £2,000 a year. Cruel here also towards the philologist have been some of the suppressions of offices, as that of the "Avenar and Clerk Martial," or of the "Clerk of the Avery." Against these diminutions in the Household there is indeed one set-off. At the head of the list in the Imperial Calendar stands now a small department of 12 persons only, beginning with the name of the "Private Secretary to Her Majesty," and which is emphatically designated "Her Majesty's Household," of which only one or two elements, such as the "Keeper of His Majesty's Library" and the "Keeper of the Privy Purse in Ordinary," are to be found in the lists of 1738, both in the Lord Chamberlain's Department. This is what really represents the personal service required by Her Majesty; and nothing is more remarkable as showing the gradual separation which has taken place between the individual Sovereign and the Sovereign's office, than the growth of this distinct personal department of the Household.

The speech which Mr. Gladstone delivered at the Lord Mayor's banquet is especially remarkable as confirming and defining the policy of abstention which England has adopted in respect of her foreign relations. We do not think that we ought to condemn our neighbours, nor judge them so harshly as has been done for their refusal to intervene in our favour during the late war. The Empire had entered upon the game with such levity that all alliances were rendered impossible, and, moreover, we know that the diplomacy of M. de Bismarck had foreseen all contingencies and prevented all intervention. It is also manifest that a country has the right to consult only its own interests, and to regard them in its own light. It is therefore rather from an historical point of view that we should now regard the attitude assumed by England during the events such as have happened and may again occur in Europe. Nothing can be more simple than her rule of conduct; she withdraws herself from everything, repudiates all interest in anything, yields on everything. If her signature appended to a treaty of guarantee is pointed out, she On the whole, then, we repeat it, the allows it to be protested. Quite recently fair consideration of this subject requires she has consented to the annihilation of us to bear in mind that a very considera- the principal clauses of the Treaty of ble diminution in the Royal Household Paris, which formerly she deemed so inviewed as an apparatus of State pageantry, adequate and so disproportioned to the amounting, we may say roughly, to one- sacrifices of the Crimean War. We requarter of its personnel, has taken place peat that England, in withdrawing into since the reign of George II. On the the serene regions of abstention, is acting other hand, the fact that this diminution within her right, and it would be bad (the "when" and the "how" of which we taste to dispute it. All that can be objectleave to those more learned in such mat- ed to it is, that the inoffensive character ters than we care to be) has taken place with which she invests herself does not already, affords a strong argument for sup- necessarily imply security. England does posing that further diminution is not not appear sufficiently to appreciate the impracticable; whilst the separation be- solidarity which connects nations with tween the personal and the State depart- each other. We know the remark of ments of the Household, which requires to Lord Palmerston when he heard of the be more generally known than it is as a fact, aggression which Prussia and Austria and which, as a principle, might probably were preparing against Denmark-"This be carried much further into practice, is the gravest event which has happened affords the means of carrying out any well- in Europe. and it is but the beginning of considered reform of the State depart-events far more serious still." These anments, without trenching on the rights and comforts, as a lady, of "the highest lady in the realm."

From The Pall Mall Gazette.

A FRENCH VIEW OF MR. GLADSTONE'S

POLICY.

ticipations have been realized, and who will venture to say that England ought not then to have done all in her power to prevent what has since occurred? Or who will maintain that the position of England has not been modified to her own detriment by the three great wars of which she has been an unconcerned spectator since 1864? It is impossible for a great Power to sacrifice influence with impunity.

THE Temps published on Tuesday the The English nation may strive in vain to following article:

be counted for nothing; a moment will

ex

come when they will feel that commercial | large sums being thrown on the market to prosperity itself depends upon political find new investments. That is a reason power. Let us suppose that England why all values in Germany have kept gopushes her principles to the utmost limits. ing up, and I anticipate that this rise in She has no longer any allies upon the value will continue for some time longer." Continent, neither Austria nor France, This is obviously a very important stateand she congratulates herself upon the ment of the Finance Minister, quite apart fact. She declines to protect her former ftom the theory as to the effect of keeping clients, Belgium, Luxemburg, and what money for the new German coinage, which remains of Denmark. She goes further, it is intended to refute. We learn now and declares herself prepared to abandon for the first time that the German Governthose of her possessions which may give ment has been using its indemnity money occasion for any dispute. She gives up to a material amount in repurchasing the Heligoland to Germany, Gibraltar to bonds which are to be repaid next JanuSpain, Malta to Italy. She becomes ex-ary and February. To what extent exclusively pacific and manufacturing. She aetly this has been done we do not know, intrenches herself behind her girdle of sea as the Minister only speaks of the bills and abandons the Continent to itself. She expressed in sterling money, 7,500,000!, imitates the snail and retires into her shell. whereas the whole amount noticed to be And what has she gained by that? Simply repaid is 15,000,000l. Of course to the placing herself at the mercy of the Powers tent the German Government may use the which she has permitted to aggrandize instalments about to fall due in a similar themselves, and holding her independence manner the less gold will have to be sent only upon the condition of never becom- to Germany, and we are glad to see that ing an obstacle or an object of envy to any the German Government professes to be sensitive to the saving of interest. The statement, however, also shows that the German Government has all the greater future power over the money market, for the more it has repaid the more on balance it has to draw out of the European money market. There is one point on which there can be little doubt. Now that the proceedings of the German Government in regard to receiving the indemnity and repaying the debt, are so important, they should be carefully made public. A Government causes great mischief by conducting such transactions in the dark, and in the end it is itself a loser by the uncertainty and confusion it creates in the markets where its financial operations are carried on. T

one.

From The Economist. THE REPAYMENT OF THE GERMAN

DEBT.

IN the course of the Coinage Debate last week, the Prussian Minister of Finance, Herr Camphausen, made rather an interesting statement respecting the Treasury bills or bonds which are under notice to be repaid next January and February. It had been objected, he said, that the operations of repayment would be impeded by the new coinage, because some of the Treasury bills of the Confederation had been created in English money, and they might have to repay them in that money. To this the Minister replied, that already a large portion of these Treasury bills had been repaid. "I can inform the previous speaker," he said, "that at this moment the Treasury of the North German Confederation possesses 3,600,000l. of these Treasury bills. We have naturally interpreted the authority which the Reichstag has given us to issue notice of repayment, as an authorization to buy them back at suitable prices, so that the money may not lie idle in the Treasury, but appreciably alleviate the burdens of the State (bravo!); and it has not only contributed to alleviate the burdens of the State, it has facilitated that equalization process' which the previous speaker so powerfully depicted

THE LAMENT FOR ADONIS.
TRANSLATED BY HENRY KING.

I WAIL Adonis! fair Adonis dead!
"Adonis dead!" the Loves repeat the wail.
Sleep no more, Cypris! - from thy purple couch
Rise sable-stoled, and beat upon thy breast,
And cry aloud, that all the world may hear,
Alas! Adonis! fair Adonis dead!"

I wail Adonis, and the echoing Loves

Repeat the wail. Amid the hills he lies,
The fair Adonis, by the Boar's white tusk
Gored in his whiter thigh: - and Cypris sees
Distraught his faint and fainter failing breath,
And o'er his snowy flesh the red stream well,-
And underneath the lids his glazing eyes
Grow dim,- the rose-flush and the kiss's fire
Die from the chilling lips where yet her own

Cling passionate, as they ne'er would part;-to | Immortal live, and cannot follow thee!*mod her

In all the range of Poetry I kdow no lament for survivorship so simple and tender as these wordsὁ δὲ τάλαινα

he w, Kat Dedç éμμì, kaì ov dívaμai σe diwkɛiv.

His nuptial-garlands scattered: -silent now
Of" Hymen, Hymenæe," is the song:
O Hymen! "Ai! ai!" is the strain to-day,-
"Ai! ai! for dead Adonis!" and once more
"Ail ai! for dead Adonis,- and for thee! "
The Graces weep the son of Cinyras:
"Alas!" each echoes each -"Adonis dead!
The fair Adonis! " -shriller is their wail
Even than thine own, Dione! - And "alas!
"Adonis! " weep the Muses, and with chant
And spell would win him back:- but he not
hears,

Though gladly would he hear them if he
could:

Nor e'er will Ceres' Daughter let him go!
Cease thy lamenting, Cypris!- for to-day
Forbear thy plaints! * - another year must
wake

Thy grief anew, and bid thee weep again!
Blackwood's Magazine.

Koupov Gaisford's, or Ruhnken's, happy emendation of the ordinary reading, кúμwv.

THE "MEGÆRA'S " CREW ON ST. PAUL'S | vessel, and about 600 eyes were anxiously levISLAND. The Bombay Gazette publishes some particulars regarding the stay of the crew of the Megara on St. Paul's Island, furnished by Captain Roskell, the commander of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Hindostan, the vessel which brought on Captain Thrupp and some of his officers to Galle. After describing the circumstances under which the vessel was run ashore, the account says:

The situation was not very alluring. The island was nearly barren, and a journey of reconnaissance failed to discover more than two human beings. These were Frenchmen, who had remained on the island to look after certain stores for whaling ships, which called in occasionally at the island. The ship's provisions and every other thing available were taken off from the Megara, and the men proceeded to make the best of bad circumstances. They erected tents, built little houses; they had a few games and some social meetings; and they smoked and looked a good deal to seaward. The architectural arrangements, though primitive, had very civilized nomenclature. The tents were arranged as streets, terraces, crescents, lanes, and so on, and several residences were designated as villas and mansions. The streets had sounding or appropriate names, and it has been hinted that the leakiest and most miserable tent was dignified with the classical appellation of Megara Mansion." The island contained many hot springs, and it was probably attempted to utilize them as natural cooking-pots, since fish were caught in great abundance in the crater. By way of novelty and amusement, combined with usefulness, the captain and Lieutenant Rokesby, of the Survey Department, executed drawings of their encampment from various points of view. A month passed on, and the Robinson Crusoe sort of life began to unfold a few of its inevitable discomforts. Provisions be gan to run short- at least biscuits did; and latterly the men's rations on that head were reduced to a quarter lb. per day. Some water was discovered in a cranny in the island, and the resources from the little stream were eked out with some condensing operations. Some of the men had got unwell, and this made matters still more uncomfortable. One day the little community was excited by the appearance of a

elled at her. She proved to be a small Dutch barque, and it was plain not much relief was to be expected from her. Three officers Lieutenants Rokesby and Hazlewood, and Midshipman Henderson, who was about to join H. M. S. Blanche were detached, and sent off to the Dutchman as a sort of relief party, to make whatever arrangements were possible in order to to procure the dispatch of assistance from some port. The officers were rowed by two seamen; but the way was long and the sea was rough, and the men could not return to the island, and had to set their boat adrift and to take up their quarters in the barque. The officers and the two men were landed at Batavia, where it would appear, they at once communicated with Government. From Batavia they went to Singapore, and at that port they were taken up by the Hindostan, and landed at Galle, whence they proceeded to Melbourne. Forty-seven weary days in all had passed with the islanders, when another ship appeared. It proved to be the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamship Malacca, which, in consequence of the advices of Lieutenant Rokesby and his compan ions, had been sent by Government from China to take off the castaways. The sea was running dreadfully high round the island, and it was blowing hard. The Malacca tried what she could to communicate with the shore, but could not, and lost three of her boats and two of her anchors in the endeavour, besides having all her live-stock washed overboard. On the fifth day she was successful, and the suspense of those on the island was allayed. On the fiftysecond day after the Megara was run ashore, all the men were reshipped. Just as they were about to leave, their old ship, which had held together till this time, began to dismember; in a short time she went down and the men felt comfort in the reflection that they had seen the last of the Megara from other decks than her own. They were not vexed to be relieved from their position on another score. On the island side of the crater there is a considerable peak, about 800 feet high. Two days before they left an enormous crack had rent its shoulder, and it was feared that if it fell, as it seemed likely to do, it would bury something more beneath it than its own débris.

1