Our B. A. (_i.e._, "Baron's Assistant") begs to congratulate Mr.
GERALD CAMPBELL very heartily on the success of _The Joneses and
the Asterisks_ (JOHN LANE). It is no easy task to write a story in a
series of what may be called monological dialogues,--dialogues,
that is to say, in which only one party speaks while the rest are
understood,--and yet to keep that lightness of touch and that sparkle
of wit without which dialogues become mere barren boredom. This is the
task that Mr. CAMPBELL has brilliantly accomplished. _The Joneses and
the Asterisks_ is as keen and telling a piece of social satire as it
has been the B. A.'s good fortune to come across for many a long day.
Thursday. June 27, Mid-day. The Baron opens ventilators, doors,
windows. Then, at haphazard, he takes up a book. Its title, _What is
heat?_... Answer immediately given by thermometer, "95° in the shade."
That's heat! And if that isn't, what is? The second title of book is,
_A Peep into Nature's Most Hidden Secrets_. But the Baron is not _Paul
Pry_; he doesn't want to peep; at all events he cannot undertake
any exertion until about November, say, when he will be delighted
to peruse the work of Mr. FREDERICK HOVENDEN, F.L.S., F.G.S.,
F.R.M.S.,--"Three single Fellows rolled into one." "Let me descend
to the ice-cellar, or in cool grot let me sit, with a soothing iced
beverage and a choice Havannah; let me read there _About the North
Pole_, and _Gunter's Tales of Ices_," quoth the