23 JANUARY 1926, Page 24

A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE FIRST EDITIONS OF PUB- LISHED AND

PRIVATELY PRINTED BOOBS AND PAMPHLETS by AUSTIN DOBSON. Compiled by Alban Dobson. (First Edition Club. 15s. net.) A BIBLIOGRAPHY of Austin Dobson's first editions will be wel-

comed by many, but this particular work, though almost perfect within its scope, is far from giving us a picture of Dobson's activities. The descriptions, though often ludic- rously minute, frequently omit the list of contents. For many people Dobson was not merely the writer of proverbs in porce- lain, but a re-creator in prose of the spirit of the eighteenth century. A list of his magazine articles, many of which are not yet reprinted, would make a valuable addition should this bibliography ever be reissued. Until then the list published in 1900 by Mr. Francis E. Murray is most valuable for re- ference, and gives us a better idea of the tremendous output of Dobson's fastidious mind.