Lord Beaconsfield was delighted. I think it was the only time I ever saw him laugh downright heartily. When it was over, Colonel Primrose went out of the room and came back quite quiet, and looking as if he had done nothing. He often said afterwards to me at Vienna (and various places abroad), when there was a very stiff party at an Embassy or Foreign party, "I wish to gracious I could do the 'Marseillaise' now, but those things are obliged to come by inspiration." A pity such a man should have perished, in that useless fight in the Soudan, of fever. We had the pleasure of a very pleasant dinner at Lady Ashburton's, where we met several delightful people, notably Mr. Augustus Hare, Swinburne, and Miss Hatty Hosmar, the famous sculptress. It was remarkably interesting, and Mr. Hare told us delightful ghost stories. We then went to Ashridge to Lady Marian Alford, who was the best friend we have had in London, except Lord Houghton. Then I went to Brighton (where we saw a good deal of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sassoon) for the purpose of helping at a bazaar in behalf of humanity to animals. Richard brought out his second Midian book, called "The Land of Midian Revisited" (2 vols., 1879). On the 19th of November took place the wedding of Colonel Oliphant and my cousin Miss Gerard, which was a treat as a gathering of friends and relations. Richard was at this time under Dr. Garrod for gout. About December 22nd, Richard had an upset that caused him to be rather poorly for three weeks, which disappeared one night in a quiet dinner with our friend, J. J. Aubertin, who gave us a bottle of very old white port, that seemed to cure him. THE LITERARY B'S OF 1878.[5] "One B. his honey found On Sinai's hallowed ground, And in Midian he sojourned for a season; But enemies there were Who stole the lion's share Of the fame and of the honour without reason. "Then a second busy B.-- Mammon's votary is he-- Who the sods and soil of Midian unrolled; He says the land is fair, But, in truth, there's nothing there So magnetic and attractive as its gold." [1] Since going to press, Abbé Rossi has died the death of a penitent priest, received all the last Sacraments of the Catholic Church, and was escorted to the grave by six of his fellow-priests.--I. B. [2] This Pasha and castle are sometimes mentioned in novels.--I. B. [3] The Khedive did not advance any money; he only desired the bills to be sent in to him. He was deposed before the bills were sent in. My husband's losses were great. Mine were £728. [4] The Ogham being the "fair writing" of the ancient Irish literature, and the Mushajjar is the Arabic Tree Alphabet, which is an Arab mystery (how many yards of trees I have had to copy!). After having lectured on it, he wrote an account of it for the Royal Society of Literature in 1879, and then made it into a pamphlet.--I. B.