3 DECEMBER 1904, Page 10

The Book of Clever Beasts. By Myrtle Reed. (G. P.

Putnam's Sons. 6s.)—We admire the work of Messrs. John Burroughs, William J. Long, and Charles G. D. Roberts too much to like this attempt to turn it into ridicule. Quite possibly these gentlemen will but smile at it, while it vexes the readers who find so great a pleasure in their books. We think, also, too highly of the effort to make out the kinship between man and his lower fellows in creation to admire these scoffs. It may be that this is taking too solemn a view of this matter. Of one thing, however, we are quite certain. The satire, from the literary point of view, is not good enough. The fun is not as irresistible as it should be.