* * * * *

[Illustration: A LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY VERY MUCH AT SEA.

(_AN INCIDENT OF MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT'S RECENT TOUR IN IRELAND._)

_Mr. A.B._ "WHY PAT, MY LAD, I SEE NOTHING TO COMPLAIN OF HERE. THESE
POTATOES ARE REMARKABLY FINE!"

_Pat_. "BEDAD, SOR, BUT THEY'RE NOT PRATIES AT ALL, AT ALL. SHURE,
IT'S THE TURNIPS YOUR HONOUR'S LOOKING AT!"]

* * * * *

PARS ABOUT PICTURES.

"The Royal Society of Painters in Water-Colours?" said young PAR.
"Nonsense! why all the water is frozen now, and so they can't paint!"
"Precisely," replied I; "and that's why it is a nice exhibition!"
This so startled Young PAR that he slipped and fell. I turned into
the Gallery in Pall Mall, and left him sitting on the cold hard flags
outside. Inside pleasant enough. BIRKET FOSTER's "_Island of Rum_"
very comforting--should like some hot. HERBERT MARSHALL--our own
City MARSHALL--has gone further afield, to "_Old Chelsea_." Should
now be called the Field MAR SHALL. MATTHEW HALE, in "_Gathering
Blackberries_," is a hail fellow well met! "_The Corso, Verona_," by
S.J. HODSON, shows that HODSON's choice is a good one. HENRY MOORE's
sea-pieces--the more the merrier, say I. "_Warkworth--Sunlit Shower_,"
by A.W. HUNT: a walk worth taking when the hunt is up. "_Holidays Past