their doctrines disgusted him beyond measure, though he would always recognize the real truth that lay at the bottom of Radicalism.” But he shall speak for himself on one great event, which you are all old enough to remember, the late war between France and Germany. Almost the first incident of the war—the despatch of the then Emperor, speaking of the Prince Imperial’s “baptism of fire”—roused his indignation so strongly that it found vent in the following lines:— By! baby Bunting, Daddy’s gone a hunting, Bath of human blood to win, To float his baby Bunting in. By, baby Bunting. What means this hunting? Listen! baby Bunting— Wounds—that you may sleep at ease, Death—that you may reign in peace. Sweet baby Bunting. Yes, baby Bunting! Jolly fun is hunting! Jacques in front shall bleed and toil, You in safety gorge the spoil. Sweet baby Bunting. Mount! baby Bunting, Ride to Daddy’s hunting! On its quiet cocky-horse, Two miles in the rear, of course. Precious baby Bunting. Ah, baby Bunting! Oftentimes a hunting, Eager riders get a spill— Let us hope your Daddy will. Poor little Bunting. Perpend, my small friend, After all this hunting, When the train at last moves on Daddy’s gingerbread “salon” May get a shunting. Poor baby Bunting! Curse on such a hunting! Woe to him who bloods a child For ambitious visions wild, Poor baby Bunting! “_October 6th, 1870._—I am, I think, rapidly changing sides about this horrid war. You know I was a tremendous Prussian at the outset, but (although the French deserve all they get) I really can’t stand the bombardment of Paris; besides, Bismarck is repulsive.” “OFFLEY, _1871_. “I think that the high and mighty tone assumed by Herr Gustave Solling (German superhuman excellence, Handel, Beethoven, Minnesingers, &c.) the worst possible vehicle for the defence of the German terms of peace. When a man talks ‘buncombe,’ it shows that he has an uneasy feeling that his case is a weak one. The cynical line is the right one for the Germans; why not say, in the words of Wordsworth,— ‘And why? Because the good old rule Sufficeth them; the simple plan, That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can.’ But pray don’t say this to our cousin, and thank her for her translation. You know what I think about the matter; I would have gone to war with the French to stop the war; and I would have gone to war with the Germans to stop the peace. There’s an Irish view of it, from a sincere war-hater.”