"In spite of the cutting cold winds, we continue our sea-bathing, and derive much benefit from it...." * * * * * Lord Derby, in reply to a letter from Prince Charles, who expressed his regret at not having met the Foreign Secretary in London, professed his deep concern at being unable to pay the Prince a visit before his departure from England. On the way home Prince Charles visited the Oriental Congress in London, where representatives of all Eastern nations were assembled. Amongst others, the Prince made the acquaintance of Sir Henry Rawlinson, the decipherer of the cuneiform inscriptions; of Léon Rosnez, the learned exponent of Semitic languages; of Sir Henry Bartle Frere; of Sir John Lubbock and Charles Kingsley. The majority of these were presented to Prince Charles at a Mansion House banquet given in honour of the Oriental Congress. The quaint ceremonies, the ancient costumes of the civic dignitaries, the luxury and wealth of the table appointments, and the excellent music discoursed during the dinner all contributed to attract the Prince's attention and interest. The homeward journey lay through Paris, where the ruins of the Tuileries awakened melancholy reflections; Strassburg, which still bore plain traces of siege, to the Weinburg where Prince Charles Anthony was feverishly awaiting their arrival. The meeting was most affecting, and the memories awakened by the deep mourning of his children almost overcame the aged Prince, whose bodily infirmities were increasing with every year. The stay at the Weinburg ended on October 8. Prince Charles Anthony's bodily suffering, though borne with heroic courage, threw a melancholy shadow over the otherwise happy home life of the Hohenzollern family. With their return to Sinaja the grief of the unfortunate parents was constantly aroused by the absence of their dear one from the rooms which once were enlivened by her presence; the very gloom of the weather seemed to encourage this melancholy mood. _From the_ GERMAN EMPEROR, _September 26th, 1874_. "I was very pleased to make the acquaintance of the bearer of these lines (the Roumanian Minister of War) and to see him at our manœuvres, which appeared to interest him greatly. My best thanks to you for the letter he brought me. I think it most natural that your journey this time should have been undertaken solely on account of the health of both of you, and that, moreover, your mood was not such as to care to make any visits except in the narrowest family circle. Let us hope that another time you will give us the pleasure and joy of seeing you here. In any case I am happy to have spoken with you, though only for a short time in Eger. "With a thousand greetings to your wife, "Your sincere Cousin, "WILLIAM." _To_ PRINCE CHARLES ANTHONY, _November 28th_.