18 APRIL 1952, Page 13

"TO Opertator," prit 17t, 1552.

Easter comes early this year; yet with a fair average allowance of verdure and early flowers, though hitherto it cannot be said, with Chaucer, that the sweet showers of April "the droughts of March have pierced to the rote." The wind, which for nine mortal weeks has blown unrelenting from the East, after two days' veering and vacillation, seems still determined to parch the earth with cold from that quarter—in mystical sympathy with the Orientalism of a Disraeli Cabinet....

People have even contrived to make holyday at Easter as usual, in spite of these drawbacks .... Still it must be admitted that the spectacles of the season have passed off rather languidly. From a new Prime Minister at the Mansionhouse festivities, some striking novelty might have been expected; but Lord Derby was simply apologetic and deprecating. Mr. Disraeli, from whom something brilliant and eccentric might have been looked for, did not appear big with his Budget, (or with excuses for postponing it), he keeps private, like ladies on the eve of an accouchement.