The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-02

ONDON, November 1.-The last few days have shown. the dead season 8W in London to be at an end, for the streets are once again full of we'll known faces. Dowager Lady Howe was to be seen driving in an open carriage on Thursday afternoon; so was Lady Roden, who wore Parma violets in black bon net. Lord and Lady Fowls were together in victoria, Lady Fowls looking pretty in picturesque hat; and in hansome was Lady Gertrude Astley-Corbett. Two of the handsomest people to be seen were Lady Cynthia Graham and Lady Cross ley; Lady Constance Gore, driving Tn Bond street, was very smart in a red hat. great many prominent Americans are returning from the continent. They stop week or so in London and sail away. The coming and going or our American cousins is a matter of great concern to London society as well as to shopkeepers. The kings reception of Generals Corbin and Wood is said to have been very grati- flying to them.
 The recent disaster which overlook the Campanile of St. Marks at Venice, and swept away that splendid tower from the centre of the most beautiful town scene in the whole world, lends an additional interest to MT. Joseph Pennells last etch- ing, of which Messre. H. Virtue & Co.,. are publishing a limited edition of only a hundred proofs, singned by the artist MT. Pennell has taken the weIl-known point of view from across the lagoon, the basin of San Giorgio Maggiore. looking back at that glorious group of the ducai palace, the cupolas and spires of sSt. Marks, and the splendid shaft of the Campanile shooting up into the sky with irresistible force and dominating majesty The etching has all MT. Pennelrs rare combination of strength and delieacy, added to his remarkable grasp Of essen ttals; and though, as memorial or tne ver-to-be-regretted Campanile it is a pity that the necessities of etching d. rect from nature have caused reversal of positions in the print, still this matters but little in view of the artistic beauty and quality of the work. MT. Pennells s economy of line is admirable; he can give you the character of a building or Of a tree, of a boat, or of figure in few strokes; and the way he suggests in this most recent etching of "The Palaces, Venice" all the exceeding richness of the decorative architecture. without any insistence on detail is as remarkable as It, IS SucceSSlul. livery new etcuiliB MI [ Pennell gives to the world adds to his reputations as one of the finest black and-white artists living, and this latest plate is no exception to the rule.
 
 | I do not know that am very greatly surprised to learn from the annual re- | port of the Asylums Committee of the London county council that the increase of lunacy in London last year was great CT than it has been in any year since 1896. The steady normal increase of lunacy Is matter of very grave moment. On Jan uary 1. last, the number of London luna | tics under the cognisance of the asylums committee had reached the appalling | total of 22,155. A new asylum was opened in March last for the accommodation of 2000 patients, and already the committee has under consideration the necessity of | proceeding with the construction of another building in order to provide for | the estimated increase of 800 cases per annum. Amongst the causes of insanity in patients admitted, hereditary predispo-