21 JULY 1923, Page 22

ESSAYS.

This slim volume of essays has the contemplative flavour often found in books written by doctors in their lesiure time. The essays are touched with a genuine love of natural beauty and of antiquity. The simple descriptive passages are excellent. The fault of the book is the persistent allitera- tion. This, though sometimes pleasant in verse (if it is spontaneous), is unbearable in prose. Such phrases as " The leaden lid that covers the truer treasure," and Princely peaks and proud ramparts," are extremely irritating.