David Williams, Founder of the Royal Literary. Fund. By E.
V. Lucas. (Murray. 2s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Lucas's attractive memoir of. David Williams is here reprinted from the Quarterly Review and followed by a pleasant survey of the oratory at the Literary Fund dinners from 1842 onwards. Thackeray's speech in 1852, complimenting Disraeli the novelist and Minister of the Crown, was well worth resurrecting with its genial remarks about the " literary hero " who " met, faced and fought and conquered the great political Giant and great Orator of those days," and " who subsequently led Thanes and Earls to battle and caused reluctant squires to carry his lance." David Williams was an erratic creature, but the Royal Literary Fund which he founded by sheer persistency in 1790 still lives and thrives, and will, we trust, be materially helped by this book.
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