24 NOVEMBER 1923, Page 26

It occasionally amuses Mr. E. F. Benson to try to

make his readers' flesh creep. Such is his aim in thii collection of short stories. The two best, however, are exceedingly amusing, one being a very plain-spoken story about a gentleman called " Mr. Tilly," who is killed at Hyde Park Corner, and in disembodied form instantly proceeds to the séance which he was about to attend before the accident. The other is a highly amusing account of how the Greek god, Machaon, son of Aeseu- lapius, not only prescribes for a case of cancer, but walks down an English road in full Greek costume ; which perfor- mance, apparently,is helpful in gaining credit for the treatment he prescribes.