third best the poor stranger came off under the hospitable roof of
the _Dei Franchis_. Even now the supper is a brief one, but justice
is done to it, _and_ to the weary traveller. Never was such an unhappy
tourist! He comes to a house in the wilds of Corsica; he is choke-full
of Parisian gossip, he has a lot to say of course, but he never gets
a chance, as _Fabien_ tells him family stories one after the other, as
if he hadn't had such an opportunity or so good a listener for ever
so long. Then, when on the entrance of his mother _Fabien_ breaks off
in the middle of one of his many anecdotes, which evidently can't be
told before ladies, the Parisian gent, who now sees something like
an opening for some light Boulevardian chit-chat, is presented with a
flat candlestick and bowed off to bed, without being allowed a word to
say for himself. All this is just the same as ever; there have been
no alterations nor repairs; the piece is as curiously old-fashioned
as are the exquisitely correct costumes; while the Masked Ball at
the Opera and the Duel in the snow are as effective as ever, and the
latter, if anything, more so. They make a first-rate fight of it, do
Messrs. _Irving dei Franchi_ and _M. Terriss de Château Renaud_, until
the latter collapses, and "subsequent proceedings interested him no
more." As long as the strong right arm of the Corsican Brother can
draw a good and shining rapier, he will draw as good and brilliant
a house as he did on the first night of this revival. Why ought this
piece to go well in the first theatre in Ireland? Why? because it's a
great play for Doublin'. _Exeunt omnes._

* * * * *

THE EPIDEMIC.--Up to now Members of Parliament have been generally
considered as "influential personages." This year many M.P.'s will be
remembered as "very influenzial personages."