21 FEBRUARY 1891, Page 24

damp and Studio. By Irving Montagu. (W. H. Allen and

Co.) --Mr. Irving Montagu went to the Russo-Turkish War as war correspondent for the Illustrated London News. Fortune took him to the less interesting scene of war, to Armenia, and so caused him to miss the "battles of gods" that were fought round Plevna. But he made the best of his opportunities, and whore he has not fighting to talk about—and it must be allowed that the fighting could hardly be called first-rate—always contrives to find subjects for his pen and pencil. He sketches men and manners as they presented themselves to his observation, and makes a vary lively book out of the materials at his disposal, One of the most vigorous passages-of-arms that he had was, not with the Russians, but with the Kurdish brigands. There are Philo-Turks who pretend to disbelieve in these wretches—by some inexplicable con- nection of thought, these gentlemen are generally Conservatives-- but they will not find their disbelief supported by Mr. Montagu. The concluding portion of the book is entithrd "Back in Bohemia," and contains some amusing sketches of the life which has some- how come to take its name from that region.