"What so interests you?" asked the visitor. Replied the Baron, "_Japhet
in Search of a Father_. I have not read it since my school days." "You
find it old-fashioned, eh?" "Well," answered the Baron, "the first few
chapters are certainly old-fashioned, and recall to my memory the
italicised, punning style of THEODORE HOOK and of _Tom and Jerry_. But
Captain MARRYAT soon gets away from this sort of thing; and when he has
once fairly started his hero and his companion on their adventures, the
interest of the story is never allowed to flag for a minute. I may add
that I have not enjoyed any modern story of adventure so much as I have
this one--always barring the romances of RIDER HAGGARD, STEPHENSON,
'Q.,' SHORTHOUSE, and PARKER--as there is about it an old Georgian-era
flavour, with its duels, its gambling-houses, its _Tom-and-Jerry_
episodes, its occasional drop into melodrama, its varied characters of
the period, its animal spirits and 'go,' that makes it--to me, at
least--thoroughly fascinating." The illustrations, by H. M. BROCK--which
are specified as separately the property of Messrs. MACMILLAN--bring
vividly before the reader the manners and customs of the time. "In these
days of morbid yellow-jaundiced sensationalism, and of 'The New Woman,'
I am delighted," quoth the Baron, "to recommend, and strongly, too, this
first of the series of Captain MARRYAT'S works, now in course of
republication _chez_ MACMILLAN." The visitor thanked his noble friend,
and withdrew. Then the Baron finished the novel. "Good!" quoth the
Baron, closing the book with regret at parting with a long-forgotten but
now recovered friend; "but 'tis odd how one lives and learns. I do not
remember having ever heard that _Bottom_ the weaver had been christened
'WILLIAM' by SHAKSPEARE. Nor can I find that bully _Bottom_ was so
addressed by his friends. And if I have missed it, how came WILLIAM to
be the _prénom_ of the Athenian weaver in the time of _Theseus_ and
_Hippolyta_! I should as soon expect to discover that Hercules was known
to his companions as Henry Hercules. However, this by the way, and only
_à propos_ of a remark as to _William Bottom_, the weaver, made by
MARRYAT. I anticipate with pleasure re-making the acquaintance of _Jacob
Faithful_ and _Midshipman Easy_."
_The Banishment of Jessop Blythe_, written by JOSEPH HATTON, and
published by HUTCHINSON, belongs to the _Yellow Book_ series, only that
is as far as the cover is concerned, which is of a startlingly jaundiced
tone and does not in the least represent the kindly author's views of
life. The story is about the ropemakers by one who clearly "knows the
ropes." This industry, as will be gathered from the present romance, is
not confined to Ropemaker's Walk, E.C., but was for two centuries
carried on by Troglodytes or Cave-dwellers in Derbyshire. The hero
_Blythe_ is turned out from the roping community as a thriftless
drunkard, emigrates, is poor and wretched, but returns _Blythe_ and gay,
with a lot of money to find.... "But here," quoth the Baron, "I must
pause, or the surprise will be heavily discounted, and the reader's
pleasure spoilt. Thus far, no farther. '_Tolle; lege._'" So recommended
the
JUDICIOUS BARON DE B.-W.
* * * * *
Shakspeare and the A-br-y B-rdsl-y Yellow
"She" Book.
Divine WILLIAMS knew the kind of unwholesome woman above mentioned. In
_Love's Labour's Lost_ he makes _Biron_ say--
"A whitely wanton with a velvet brow,
With two pitch balls stuck in her face for eyes;
Ay, and, by heaven, one that will do the deed,
Though Argus were her eunuch and her guard."
Is not this the living picture of the woman who would, or could, but who
shouldn't and oughtn't?
* * * * *
CHOOSING THE SPEAKER.--A suggestion was made last week that the
competitors for the Speakership should draw lots. Now, if it came to
"drawing lots," all in the House and out of the House, having seen
"lots" of Sir FRANK BLOOKWOOD'S drawing, would of course place him
first. So the drawing lots plan was abandoned.
* * * * *