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reach of the serpent . But the latter was frightened , dived some few hundred fathoms , and reappeared shortly after , but quite out of sight of the frightened sailor , who thought

his last moment had come . We havo never seen a seaserpent , and have no desire to cultivate his acquaintance . We are not quite sure if we know what he is like . Is he an eeZ-longated kind of a brute ?

We cannot say we altogether sympathise with the illused letter " H . " To us it seems a very wilful kind of letter . It slips away when its presence is necessary , and turns up again at most inconvenient times , just when it ought to keep out of the way A cockney , for instance ,

a most intelligent sort of fellow , is quite willing to lend a hand to any friend in difficulty . But letter " H ., " meanwhile , has worked himself into a fit of obstinacy , and the result is that our friend the cockney is only able to lend a ' and , a mere conjunctive particle , of no use whatever by

itself , but only as conjoining two things or persons together . Another intelligent cockney , who is a great admirer of landscapes , thinks Muswell Hill and the neighbouring palace is " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever . " Unfortunately , letter " H ., " however , is again obstinate , and

Muswell Hill degenerates into a mere Muswell 'ill , which , if we remember rightly , is one of those nasty uncomfortable little things which all human flesh is heir to . This is not paying Muswell Hill a very great compliment . Of the perverse conduct of letter " H . " we had a most

extraordinary illustration the other day . Two friends , or acquaintances , were in the same compartment of a carriage on the Great Northern Railway . A difference of opinion arose between them as to which of the two , Crouch Hill Station , or Crouch End Station , was on the Great Northern , which

on the Midland line . The question was authoritatively solved thus : " Crouch Eend " is on the Northern , " Crouch 'ill" on the Midland . We had previously been suffering from a mild attack of dyspepsia , but the information was so good that we forgot at once all our hailments , and spent

the rest of the journey in little else than chuckling and grinning over the improper uses to which " H . " is weak enough to lend its countenance . " H . " has , in fact , been

hanging ever since in the passage between guttural and pectoral . In other words , it has been obstinately sticking in our throats , and we know not when we shall get rid of it .

The latest illustration we have heard of the familiar saying about adding insult to injury was brought , a few days since , under our notice by a friend of ours who is on the staff of a contemporary . Paying an early visit , one morning , to the printer ' s , for the purpose of handing in

more copy , he was met by the manager of the composing department , who , with a hesitation that may have been natural , but which was certainly considerate under the circumstances , remarked , " Mr . , the first sheet of your last copy was simply dreadful . It was blotted , and all

that , and none of us could make head or tail of it . " " Ah , " said Mr . in reply , " I admit that was a most picturesque study , but this "—written , if possible , at least a thousand times worse— " is simpl y beautiful . " Mr . Manager , on looking at the said copy , at once subsided into tears , but

whether of rage or sympathy our informant deponed not . We hear of a very heavy storm having recently visited Texas , and caused serious loss , both of life and property , especially at Galveston . Elsewhere , similar disasters have happened , and we hear that notice has been given at our

various ports that the approaching equinoctial gales may be expected to prove of greater severity than usual . So ,. say we , look out for squalls . If we were nautically given we should offer further advice as to "furling taiipsails and loretaupsails , & c , & c , but wc are ashamed to say we are not , so our readers must look out for themselves . Let them

study one of Marryatt ' s sea novels — Peter Simple , foi instance—they will find all the needful technical terms , and far more than they will probably understand . Foreign news , as the saying is , is " pretty much of a muchness . " That is to say , the telegrams we read

yesterday will probably hold good for nearly every day in the week . From Bosnia and the Herzcgovnia we still hear of Turks being mutilated and Turkish dwellings burnt to the ground . The valiant upholders of liberty seem , at their best , to be merel y a parcel of marauding ruffians , gathered

together from the four winds of heaven—wild , unruh people , who know about as much of true liberty as Ave do of Chinese , and whose sole delight , is to take part in every disturbance that breaks out , provided only it be an uprising against legitimate authority . We hope the Turks ,

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who are gentlemen at all events , even though they may conduct their government in a manner different from what we are accustomed to at home , will make short work of these disturbers of the public peace . We are not very blood-thirsty , but we think the world would get on

better if the ruffian classes were less considerable in numbers . From Vienna we learn that the Empress of Austria is progressing favourably , after her late severe accident , and there is every prospect of her complete and immediate restoration to health ! As to the Emperor of

Germany , he is making a rare progress through his dominions , being received everywhere with the greatest enthusiasm . It seems also settled that His Imperial Majesty will visit King Victor Emanuel early next month . No doubt Kaiser Wilhelm will meet with a magnificent

reception , and justly , too . Is not the complete consolidation of the Italian kingdom , by the acquirement of Venice , and subsequently of Rome , due to his alliance with the Italian monarch . Italy is not likely to forget these services , and will , no doubt , welcome her late ally ard present friend

with effusive loyalty . In France the usual military manoeuvres have been taking place in various parts of the country . The war in Spain is still being pursued with considerable energy on the part of the Alphonsists . Some eight hundred Carlists having crossed the French frontier have been

interned . This , of course , means the deduction of a considerable strength from the already weaker side . We care not how soon this struggle is brought to an end , though , as regards Spain itself , it seems to us a simple case , which of the twain shall be king over her , King Log or King

Stork . From Copenhagen we hear H . R . H . the Duke of Edinburgh , with his wife , have reached and left Copenhagen on their return to England , while his brother , the Duke of Connaught , who has been appointed on the staff at Gibraltar , will shortly take up his appointment in that garrison .

The members of the Salisbury Lodge of Instruction , which meets at the Union Tavern , Air-street , Regentstreet , will w ork the fifteen sections on Thursday , 30 th September , at seven o ' clock p . m . precisely . Bro . Mander , W . M . 1201 , will preside , and the following brethren will assist : —

FIRST LECTU 11 E . 1 st Section by Bro . A . C . Bnrrell P . M . No . 1446 2 nd „ „ Bro . Harrison No . 180 3 rd „ „ Bro . A . Cameron P . M . No . 180 4 th „ „ Bro . D . M . Belfragc D . C . No . 179 Sth „ „ Bro . J . H . Watts S . W . No . 1201 Gth „ „ Bro . J . Wheeler No . 1416 7 th „ „ Bro . T . Cull I . G . No . 141 G

SECOND LECTURE . 1 st Section by Bro . B . II . Swallow P . M . No . 382 2 nd „ „ Bro . J . W . Wright S . W . No . 1298 3 rd „ „ Bro . T . H . Pulsford P . M . No . 1158 4 th „ „ Bro . W . S . Leo No . 1201 Sth ., „ Bro . A . Boehr No . 1446

THIRD LECTURE . 1 st Section by Bro . E . J . Scott P . M . No . 749 2 nd „ „ Bro . W . C . Parsons W . M . No . 180 3 rd „ „ Bro . E . Earwig W . S . No . 180

Madame Patti ( Marquise de Caux ) and the Marquis arrived in Brighton on Friday , and were met at the railway station by the Mayor , Bro . Alderman Brigden , the Mayoress , Bro . Sir John Cordy Burrows , Bro . Kuhe , Mrs . Kuhe , Bro . George Reeves Smith , & c . They proceeded

to the Norfolk Hotel , and at half-past ten iu the evening Bro . Devin ' s band played some very excellent pieces . At the conclusion , Madame Patti sent for Bro . Devin , and complimented him on the performance , and the taste displayed by him in the pieces selected . Bro . Kuhe may

he congratulated on the success of his first subscription concert . The elite of Brighton filled every available scat . Madame Patti ' s singing was faultless , and she was presented with a very splendid bouquet by Miss Harriet Young , and another by the Mayor . Madame Campobeilo

Sinico also received a deserved share of applause . Madame Castellan played artistically ou the violin . Signers Uno and Campobeilo sang several songs with great effect .

Bro . Kuhe ' s appearance Avas a signal for loud and prolonged cheering . The second concert fakes place on the ' 27 th , when Madame Albani , in conjunction with Madame and Bro . Patey , will appear . Ou Saturday , despite the