field station, and about the same distance north-east of the station at Basingstoke; it is three and a half miles east of Silchester. The parish of Strathfieldsaye is partly in the county of Berks. The park is not of very great extent, the average breadth being about a mile, and the length about a mile and a half; but it is rendered pleasant, especially on the eastern side, by a diversity of hill and dale, and some fine trees; and it is also enlivened by the waters of the river Loddon, which, widening through the grounds, are expanded into various sheets of ornamental water, near which the mansion is situated. The term Strath, or Strat, as it is usually pronounced, seems to have been an old term signifying a "stretch" of level ground, with elevations running along the sides. In this sense it is frequently used in Scotland, and some instances of its employment with this meaning may be found in Wales. The addition of "Saye" appears to have been derived from a family of that name who originally possessed the domain, and from which it passed in marriage to that of the Dabridgecourts, who held it from the time of Richard II. to the year 1636.

WELLINGTON AND BLUCHER.-About eight in the morning the Duke of Wellington quitted Brussels. About eleven, or a little later, he reached Quatre Bras; whence he closely reconnoitred the enemy's position, and satisfied himself that there was no immediate danger from the side of Frasne. This done, and having left directions with the Prince of Orange as to the points of halt for such corps as might arrive in his absence, he galloped off to communicate in person with Field-Marshal Prince Blücher. The Duke is said to have expressed with characteristic good breeding, yet firmness, his disapproval of Prince Blücher's arrangements. Every man" (such is the substance of the words which the Duke is said to have spoken) "knows his own people best; but I can only say that, with a British army, I should not occupy this ground as you do." Blücher, however, represented that his countrymen liked to see the enemy before they engaged him, and adhered to the opinion that St. Amand and Ligny were the keys of his position. And the Duke was at once too wise and too much under the influence of a right feeling to press his point. It was the Duke's

desire to co-operate with Prince Blücher actively, rather than passively. He saw that against the latter the main strength of the French army would be carried, and he proposed to advance, as soon as he should have concentrated force enough, upon Frasne and Gosselines, and to fall upon the enemy's rear. But this, which would have been both a practicable and a judicious movement, had his Grace received intimation of the French attack in good time, was now wellnigh impossible. It was idle to expect that Napoleon would delay his onward movement long enough to permit the concentration at Quatre Bras of such a force as would authorise an aggressive operation; and a project admirable in itself was at once abandoned, and an arrangement made that by the Namur road the allies should support one another. It is said that the Duke, as he cantered back to his own ground, turned to a staff-officer deeply in confidence, and said, "Now, mark my words: the Prussians will make a gallant fight; for they are capital troops, and well commanded; but they will be beaten. I defy any army not to be beaten placed as they are, if the force that attacks them be such as I suppose the French under Buonaparte is."

THE DUKE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. His Grace's position as a legislator was no sinecure. Exactly at five o'clock during the session, he was on his way down Whitehall, either on horseback-for he rode with uncommon ease and grace, notwithstanding his advanced years or in a carriage of novel construction which he had himself designed, drawn by one horse-a kind of cabriolet on four wheels. In the House of Lords, the Duke did not come in for a lounge or a gossip, as is the custom of many noble lords, but applied himself steadily to the business under discussion. Seated on one of the cross-benches just below the woolsack, or, when the House was not in committee, occupying the chair of the chairman of committees at the table, the Duke gave his entire and conscientious attention to everything that was said on both sides of the House. So strict and unbroken was his determination to hear everything, that people who heard noble lords make prosy and rambling speeches, in which they repeated arguments which had been a dozen times before repeated in the House of Commons, and who

saw the Duke of Wellington still listening with undiminished attention, conceived a theory that the Duke never read the newspapers, and formed his opinion upon public measures only from the evidence, and explanations and arguments which came before him in his legislative capacity. Such a practice is in the strictest conformity with constitutional theory, although little in accordance, perhaps, with the habits of modern statesmen in the ranks of the Peerage. The Duke of Wellington always seemed to us the best dressed man in the House of Lords. Other Peers, although we do not remember one, may have appeared in better fitting garments; but there was a happy suitableness in the colour and fashioning of the Duke's clothes which showed that he exercised the nicest supervision over his tailor, and by no means suffered that functionary to apparel him in the newest modes. His favourite costume was a blue frock coat, white waistcoat, white trousers, and white neckcloth-the latter fastened behind with a large silver buckle. In the winter of 1851-2, the Duke made his appearanee in the House of Lords in a short white cloak or cape, which at first excited much attention from its singularity. But, upon examination it was seen to cover the old man's neck and chest in so warm and cosy a manner, and to agree so well with his clear complexion and white hairs, that it seemed one of the most graceful winter garments imaginable. The Duke's style of oratory was no doubt deficient in the higher flights of rhetoric, which he never affected, but it possessed in an eminent degree the qualities of plainness, perspicuity, and energy. He went straight at his mark, and seldom missed the bull's-eye. Latterly there were frequent pauses in his speeches, not arising from want of words or a paucity of ideas, but from a difficulty of articulation and ejaculation. Of late years, the Duke's deafness had so grown upon him that he interchanged very few remarks in the House with his most intimate friends. He became conscious that his interlocutor could not become audible to him without being heard by almost every one in the House, and the Duke did not choose to make a confident of the Bench of Bishops and the Strangers' gallery. The Duke's temperance was carried to the verge of abstemiousness. His ability to endure fatigue was remarkably shown upon the memorable Corn-law debate

in the House of Lords, when his Grace took his seat upon the Ministerial benches at five o'clock, and did not once leave his place till their lordships divided at five o'clock the next morning. The Duke, upon this occasion, took an affecting leave of their lordships and of public life; but, ever faithful to the call of duty, he not frequently took a part in debate.-Illustrated London News.

EULOGIUM ON MAJOR-GENERAL SIR CHARLES NAPIER. "My Lords, I must say that, after giving the fullest consideration to these operations (in Scinde), I have never known an instance of an officer who has shown in a higher degree that he possesses all the qualities and qualifications to enable him to conduct great operations, He has maintained the utmost discretion and prudence in the formation of his plans, the utmost activity in all the preparations to ensure his success, and finally, the utmost zeal, gallantry, and science, in carrying them into execution."—February 12, 1844.

MONUMENT IN SPAIN.-It is stated that the monument which is to be erected in the Campo de Gardias, Madrid, in honour of the Duke, will resemble the column of the Dos de Mayo, and that the names of the principal victories gained by the Duke in the Peninsular war will be inscribed on it.

ACTIVITY OF SIR JOHN WATERS.-The Duke held Waters in the highest estimation; and whenever any important information during the Peninsular war, as to the movements of the French, was required, the services of the gallant Waters were always appealed to. It was his report of the motions of the French army that led to the battle of Busaco. It was Waters whom the Duke asked, when on the opposite side of the Douro, if he thought he could cross the river, and see how matters stood with the French, then in possession of Oporto. No sooner said than done. Waters got a small boat from a barber, which had been overlooked by the French, worked himself across, and returned with several barges! and, with this small beginning, the Duke, at a lower part of the river, got over a sufficient force to drive the French out of the city. On another occasion it was reported at head-quarters, that Waters was captured, to which the Duke replied, " Waters will join us;