A SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVING THE STAGE. --M. COQUELIN for having played truant--not an absolutely new part for him--from the House of MOLIÈRE has been condemned by the Court of Appeal to pay five hundred francs every time he performs away from the Comédie Française. This may, or may not, be hard on M. COQUELIN, an artist whose absence from the stage would be much deplored: but could not there be, in England, some Court of Public Appeal, empowered to condemn an actor or two, _not_ artists like M. COQUELIN, in similar penalties for appearing at all? Great opportunity for a new court and new procedure. Witnesses for prosecution from stalls, dress circle, gallery, pit, upper boxes. Witnesses to be heard in defence of course also; and let the best evidence win. * * * * * A GOOD BANK NOTE.--After the recent meeting of the gentlemen who manage the affairs of The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street, the Bank of England may now be considered not as a bank which may be of sand or mud, but as a rock, and as firm. The Baring Straits having been safely passed, the look-out man cries, "All's well that ends well!" * * * * * THE HIGHLY-ROUGED LADY'S CLAIM TO LITERARY DISTINCTION.--That she is well-read. * * * * * [Illustration: "ANIMAL SPIRITS." NO. VIII.--AFTER THE INFLUENZA.] * * * * * LETTERS FROM THE SHADES. Have just perused report of Commission on Library Wall-flowers. Appears that enterprising book-shop, resort of fashionable world for past century, has sent round urgent whip to Representative Men of Letters (and also Mr. LE GALLIENNE) asking for short list of best neglected books. Find that answers cover fairly wide ground, from HOMER to New English Dictionary. Feeling that it might please general public to have some expression of opinion from various defunct authors described with faint praise as undeservedly neglected, and finding it inconvenient to arrange personal interview, by reason of distance and other difficulties, have sent out circular requesting that they would interview themselves on the subject and kindly let me have result. Some answered evasively through secretaries. Subj in small assortment from letters of those who responded frankly:-- HOMER OBLIGES WITH A FEW HEXAMETERS.