A Journalist's Note - Book. By Frank Frankport Moore. (Hutchin- son and
Co.)—Mr. Moore has collected a number of anecdotes, of
which we might give the description which Martial gives of his
epigram, but with the omission of the bona guczedam. It is quite surprising that a gentleman who has busied himself with collect-
ing this kind of ware should have come across so very little that is really witty, funny, or amusing. What truth there may be in them it is unprofitable to inquire. Even when Mr. Moore pledges his personal credit to them they are sometimes a little too difficult.
There is a story, for instance, about a Bishop who, on being translated to another see, endeavoured to defraud Mr. Moore him- self (see pp. 58-61) by selling him a piece of varnished deal furni- ture as an "antique carved oak cabinet." Mr. Moore, to judge from the photograph with which he has been good enough to illustrate his volume, is a young man. Allowing him an experi- ence of twelve years, as the period during which he has been likely to be invited to make such purchases by Bishops, we find that the choice of prelates in question is limited to about four. It would be an insult to name any one of them in connection with such a story.
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