would-be marauders from the garden. A friend of his who has some
expensive ferns planted in a rockery put up the notice, 'Beware of the
Scolopendriums and Polypodiums'--which, of course, are the Latin names
of garden insects."--_Pearson's Weekly._

Clearly a case of nature mimicry.

* * * * *

[Illustration: SELF-PROTECTION.

JOHN BULL. "I'VE INVESTED A MINT OF MONEY IN OTHER LANDS, IT'S TIME I PUT
SOMETHING INTO MY OWN."]

* * * * *

REVIVALS AND REVISIONS.

"IT" (as Mr. GOSSE says at the beginning of his fascinating monograph on
SWINBURNE, a work which we understand has just been crowned by the Band of
Hope) it is now beyond doubt that Mr. H.B. IRVING'S drastic way with
_Hamlet_ is to have a far-reaching effect on all revivals. New authors can
be acted more or less as they write, or as they happen to be stronger or
weaker than their "producers"; but to be revived is henceforward to be
revised, and fairly stringently too.

Mr. IRVING has made a clearance of certain parts of _Hamlet_ which
interfere with the movement of its story. Actuated by old-fashioned motives
and writing for a public that was not yet wholly lacking in discrimination,
SHAKSPEARE did his best to make _Hamlet_ a poetical as well as a dramatic