It is emphatically pleasant. From a Fine-Art point of view, it is "the winter of our great content." Only a few weeks ago we had an Exhibition of the Young Masters, and very-much-alive English Artists--to wit, the students of the Royal Academy--at Burlington House, and now Sir FREDERICK LEIGHTON has waved his wand, and has given us a transformation scene in the way of a collection of works by the Old Masters and Deceased Painters of the British School. And a very good show it is, and very grateful we feel to those who have for a time stripped their rooms in order that we may enjoy a sight of their treasures. Very restful to the eye and soothing to the spirit are these grand contributions by the Old Boys. They may say what they please about the progress of modern Art, but _Mr. Punch_ is of opinion that many of these fine specimens of CROME, GAINSBOROUGH, JANSEN, MURILLO, MULREADY, &c., are bad to beat. How time slips away! It only seems the other day that these Winter Exhibitions were started by the Royal Academy, and yet the present one is the twenty-first. * * * * * MUSICAL NOTES.--When the Oratorio of _Nineveh_ is performed again, with incidents in the life of JONAH, one of the features will be a magnificent wail in a minor key.--There is to be a banquet given to musical Dr. TURPIN. It was graceful on the part of the Archbishop of CANTERBURY to make this excellent musician a Doctor--the name of TURPIN being more closely associated with York than Canterbury. * * * * * STATESMEN AT HOME. Illustration: DCXLI. EARL GRANVILLE, K.G., AT WALMER CASTLE. As you step out of the railway carriage that has brought you at leisurely speed to Deal, you cannot help thinking of another arrival that, at the time, created even more attention on the part of the inhabitants. You, bent on a visit to the genial Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, arrive from landward. JULIUS CAESAR came by sea; And yet, so narrow is the world, and so recurrent its movements, you both arrive at the same town! As you walk down Beach Street, reading the _Commentaries_, which you have brought down in your coat-tail pocket, you recognise the "plain and open shore" which CAESAR describes as being reached after passing the cliffs of Dover. Here he landed, now many years ago, and your host who, eager for your coming, even now stands on the top of the great round tower that dominates his castle-home, can look upon the very spot on which the Conqueror stepped ashore. Presently he takes you to see the marks of the intrenchment, plainly visible to this day. With heightened colour and dramatic gesture the belted Earl tells how, on the fourth night after the arrival of the Roman fleet, that great storm which ever comes to Britain's aid in such emergencies, arose, wrecking J. CAESAR'S galleys, and driving them far up the shingly beach. "What's to be done now?" CAESAR'S quartermaster asked.