WHAT THE “WORLD” SAYS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5496, 7 November 1878, Page 3

WHAT THE “WORLD” SAYS.

Lord Kosebery and Lord Dunravou are also among—l was going to say the prophots, but I suspect the losses are nearer the mark. Both young noblemen are, it is understood, proprietors o£ and writers in certain journals. Of Lord Rosebery's work I have seen but one specimen, a set of verses addressed to a common friend in New York, and that was neat and epigrammatic; but he is said to be “good all round,” and the time he can devote to journalism, after giving duo attention to matrimony, the House of Lords, managing his estate, and running his racers, will doubtless be well employed. Lord Duuraven has long been a graphic reporter of his own and other people’s great exploits ; principally of his own. One of the prettiest dresses f have seen in the country this season was one made of Boltoif sheeting. The fair wearer told mo she made it herself, and it only cost half-a-crown. I know many who would give Worth any price ho liked to name if he would only insure their achieving such a charming picture as my young friend presented in her cheap frock. All doctors will tell you that the great cause of illness in visitors to the seaside is over-eat-ing. X should like them to pay a visit to a street in Blackpool, that I christened Great Break-fast-street the other day. It is a long street, with bow-windows from end to end. If yon pass along it between eight and nine in the morning you will find every bow-window filled with stout “.trippers" making thfj ipost gigantic breakfasts. There are vast coffee-pots, there are gigantic piles of eatables of all descriptions,’ and the meal generally lasts about a couple of hours, I am told a similar sight may be soou at two o'clock in the afternoou, and at six in the evening. No wonder visitors to Blackpool have to put themselves under the doctor’s hands at the conclusion of their stay. Had Danton ever read Spenser’s “ Faerie Queens!” Who knows ? I was plunging, the other night, into “ that well of English undefyled,” when I came ou the following line, b. jil. c. xl. s. 5< : ' ' 1 ” " “ Bo bbldo, Bo bqldo, and everywhere, Do held.” What is this hut “Ho i'audace, encore do I’audace, toujours do I’audace" '! Is it a literaty “trouvaille ?” The groat Chelsea historian docs not notice the and yet the

-“■brawny Titan,” as Carlyle describes "Danton, must 1 have adopted the „ saying from somewhere. It can hardly be a coincidence.' Would that I were omniscientlike Jumpeius, for instance, Here is a note for comparison of the? chief •disasters of our ships since the sinking of L the Royal George. Perished in the Royal George, 29th August, -1782, more, than 600; in the Abergavenny, East Indiaman, on the Bill of Portland, 6th February, 1805, more than 300 ; in the St. George of 98 guns, in the Defence of 74, and in the Hero, all three stranded off the ‘ coast of Jutland, 24th December, 1811, over 2000 (that is, the admiral and all the crews, except 18 seamen) ; in the Royal Adelaide steamer, off Margate, 30th March, 1850, more than 400; in the Birkenhead, 26th February; 1852, in’ Simon’s Bay, South Africa, 454'; in the Tayleur, emigrant ship, 20th January, 1854, on the Irish coast, 380 in the. Royal Charter, screw steamer, 25th October, ,1859, on the coast of Anglesea, 446 ; in the Captain, ironclad turret ship, 7th September, 1870, near Finisterre, .472 ; in the Northfleet, 22nd January/1873, off Dungeness, about 300. The Iqss of 2000 lives.on the coast of Jutland seems to he forgotten when we*can hear the dreadful event of last week described as the most destructive of lifeinthe present century. The accurate statement is, that on our own shores there has not occurred such a fearful calamity since the Royal George went down in 1782 —all but a century ago. Of course ! do not presume to say anything •about the Bywell Castle pending the inquiry into the recent catastrophe ; but I may be permitted to remark that a good twenty years ago a very old Thames yachtsman warned me most emphatically against steam-colliers, as the most’ dangerous craft in the river. “They go,” he said, : “with their nose cocked up in the air, so that the man at the helm cannot see anything less than a man-of-war or. an East Indiaman.” Then ho knows that; nothing but an ironclad can hurt his .vessel.and again, when in ballast and high out of water, they answer their helms very badly.Give them a wide you meet them. 1 My Roman letters suggest a curious contrast. While the German Chancellor is doing his best to make peace between the German Empire and the Papacy, the Italian Premier is doing his best to widen the breach between the Catholic King at the Quirinal and the Catholic Pontiff at the Vatican. , : I sometimes devote a little of my spare time to the study of foreign languages. Last week I came upon the following sentences in a sporting newspaper. I took down my diction- ; aries to try and decipher them, but have been thoroughly bafflled. Perhaps, if the paragraph I am about to quote should fall under the -eye of Professor Max Muller, he will kindly inform me what is this new.language :—“ Heard outside, after a pretty general skinner.” “ Lay that last winner, Joe ?” “ Ves, just my bloomin’ luck—laid the sanguniary Archman - fifty quid to. a couple.’.’ “Bruise me, what luck ! Did he get a ticket?” “ No, he never takes no ticket off o’ mo.” “ Stone me stoopid, what luck ! Back a five-aud-tweuty chance and no brief to be sneaked ! Better luck next time, old pal !” Lady Jingo (the Jingoes are iron people ; Sir Puddler got his baronetcy by ratting at the right moment; but her ladyship’s early education was somewhat neglected) was looking over •her visiting cards (she keeps them in a superb jardiniere of Japanese cloisonne) at the end of the season. Among the pasteboards was one left by Count Schouvaloff, just before departing for Berlin, and bearing the valedictory “ P.P.C.” “ I know what that means,” cried Lady Jingo triumphantly to Philip Cowrie, of the diplomatic service ; “P.P.C., PourPrcnny Constantinople, of course. Just like the impudence of them Rooshians.”