The Beturn 



Rome as the place where she bought those 

 black silk stockings is a not uncommon type. 



But if this ignorance is their loss, it is our 

 gain. These casual visitors touch but the fringe 

 and leave the garment undefiled. Outside the 

 limited range of their experience — the ascent 

 by railway to the Mount Church ; the "running- 

 cars " in which they tobogganed down ; the 

 hotels where they raided the food of more 

 regular guests ; the Casino where they lost their 

 money — outside these they know not Madeira, 

 and Madeira knows them not. Not yet is it 

 time for Pierre Loti to add to " La Mort du 

 Caire" and "La Mort de Philae" a threnody 

 on " La Mort de Madere." Let us give thanks 

 that there is " nothino: to see." 



Truly in ways and means of communication 

 the world has changed even more rapidly than 

 in other things. If we go back to the hand- 

 books of sixty or seventy years ago, we find it 

 stated that the most convenient method of 

 reaching Madeira was by the comfortable mail 

 service of packet brigs, of about 250 tons 

 burden, which might take anything from six 

 days to six weeks on the passage. Nowadays 

 we are accustomed to leave Southampton in a 



S 



