Volume 102 — "VIVE LA LIBERTÉ!"

The Era at one time used to enjoy a monopoly of strangely, but purely professionally-worded advertisements; but now the Daily Telegraph is creeping up and commencing to occupy the Era's special domain. One day last week in the D.T. the following notice appeared:—"Mr. CHARLES SUGDEN at liberty.—Address, &c." "At Liberty!" How will this sound to the uninitiated millions? Taking for granted that the readers, whose name is Legion, know perfectly well who and what Mr. CHARLES SUGDEN is, having a lively recollection of this talented actor as among the best representatives of bad characters (excepting perhaps that of William of Orange, which was Mr. SUGDEN's chef d'oeuvre, and about whose character there are strong differences of opinion), will they not unnaturally be led to inquire how, why, when and wherefore Mr. SUGDEN ever came to be deprived of his liberty, and under what circumstances he has been restored to it, or it to him? "At Liberty!" It has a grand and glorious sound! This distinguished Thespian was never an "hereditary bondsman," then why not always "at liberty"? But, be this as it may, once more "the Rover is free!" SUGDEN is a name honourable behind and before the foot-lights. In the Courts of Law it is a Legal Light, and among Gas Companies the Sugden Burner is, we believe, justly famous. Whatever the announcement may or may not mean, all sons of Liberty will rejoice that this eccentric comedian is once more free, and on the stage he will be again most welcome.

"Are you staying in town?" "No," answered Mrs. R.; "I'm going au contraire." Which, she subsequently explained, was French for going into the country.

FANCY PORTRAIT.

GENERAL BOOMBASTES.

Solo and Chorus.

AIR—"

Piff! Paff! Pouf!" from "La Grande Duchosse."

[Repeats it ad lib.]

ON RELIGIOUS CYMBALISM.

The Salvationist Bands which perform in and out of London—(would that they were restricted as the Moore and Burgess Minstrels restrict themselves to one hall, never or "hardly ever," performing out of London!)—everywhere and anywhere without respecting illness, or the hours of public worship in our Churches and Chapels, or the necessities of repose, show thereby a distinct want of that consideration for the feelings of their fellow-citizens which simple Christian folk call Charity. These Booth performers—which designation savours suggestively of Mountebanks—would do well to play their peculiar music and sing their peculiar hymns within the four walls of their own places of worship, employing the intervals essential for gaining of wind and for rest of muscle in meditating, perhaps breathlessly, on the inspired Pauline teaching which will inform them that even the works of an Apostle, if he have not charity, will be as "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals," making indeed a great noise in the world, but as one WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE has said, being mere "sound and fury signifying nothing." "Liberty of Worship" by all means, but not such Liberty for any one particular form of worship which, interfering with the freedom of others, speedily degenerates into fanatical licence, and so becomes a nuisance as intolerant as it is intolerable.

ANGLO-AMERICAN FRENCH.—A new word must be added to our French dictionaries. In Le Figaro for Feb. 15, in an article on HECTOR MALOT, occurs this expression, "en ce temps de puffisme littéraire." In English we have had the word and the thing too, since the time of SHERIDAN's Critic, but is any student of French journalism familiar with it in the Parisian newspapers?