"This life is but a bridge;
Let no man build his house upon it."

But the lapse of time is gradually bringing performance nearer to promise,
and Dr. ADDISON was able to announce that over one hundred thousand houses
were now "in the tender stage." Let us hope no bitter blast will nip them
in the bud.

_Wednesday, February 18th._--The Lords returned to work after their week's
holiday in a rather gloomy mood. By some occult process of reasoning Lord
PARMOOR has convinced himself that the distress in Central Europe is
largely the fault of the Peace Conference. He was supported by Lord BRYCE,
who declared that the "Big Four" approached the business of Treaty-making
in a German rather than an English spirit (which sounds as if he thought
they never meant to keep it), and by Lord HALDANE, who, _more suo_, accused
the negotiators of having shown "no adequate prevision." Lord CRAWFORD
dealt pretty faithfully with the cavillers and pointed out that this
country had already spent twelve millions on relieving European distress,
and was prepared to spend nearly as much again when the United States was
ready to co-operate; but at present, he reminded them, that country was
still in a state of war with Germany.

The one bright spot of the sitting was Lord HYLTON'S statement that the
National Debt, which was within a fraction of eight thousand millions on
December 31st, had since been reduced by eighty-five millions. The pace is
too good to last, but it is something to have made a start.

For nearly four years we have been anxiously waiting to know what really
did happen at the battle of Jutland. The voluminous efforts of Admirals and
journalists have failed to clear up the mystery, and even Commander CARLYON