28 JUNE 1890, Page 45

King Squash of Toadyland. By an Envoy Extraordinary. (Field and

Tuer.)—This is a very neat and honest piece of satire on the Court, customs, and laws of a country called Toadyland, whose real name there is no need to reveal. It is very well written, and the author has made the most of a few strong points, and treated them in a manner which is none the less interesting for being more ideal than practical. His characters are some- what thinly disguised portraits, and will be readily recognised. The figure of King Squash has a certain indefiniteness about it, proper, we suppose, to his prototype, and occasionally little touches of reality somewhat spoil the general effect of the book ; beyond this there is nothing that is weak or clumsy about the book, and the style is a good effort of its kind.