Enough that the Baron should say to his readers, "_Tolle lege!_" You
will be delighted with it, "_Il cigaretto per esser felice_." It is a
charming story, says emphatically,

THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS.

* * * * *

HOPE FOR THE EAST END OF LONDON UNDER THE NEW MAYORALTY.--If South
Kensington and the Fashionable West are now complaining of smells
everywhere in the S. and S.W. district, the City and the East End may,
for one year at least, rejoice in the supreme rule of the Savory. We
can't write of SAVORY without adding MOORE, so we must mention that
the name of SAVORY is ominous for the continuation of the Mayoralty.
The Guildhall Banquets end with a Savory. _Absit omen!_

* * * * *

WINTER OPERA.

[Illustration: Our Maggie McIntyre as "La (Prima) Donna del 'Lago.'"]

Royal Italian Opera is quite a winter rose in Covent Garden. It
blossomed well, and is doing bloomingly. How lovely and of what happy
omen is the name of MARIA PERI, whose _Valentina_ in _Les Huguenots_
is worth recording, even though it does not beat the record. It is
said to be an uninteresting part, yet I remember everybody being
uncommonly enthusiastic about this same _Valentina_ when GRISI played
it, and _her_ "Valentine" was _Romeo_-like MARIO. Their struggle, his
Leap for Life out of the window after the great "_Tu M'ami_" solo and