Some Books of the Week
To the mind of the present reviewer far the best essay in Father Ronald Knox!s new work, Essays in Satire, by Ronald Knox (Sheed and Ward, 7s. 6d.) is not satirical at all. It is a serious essay upon "Humour and Satire," full of wit and sympathy. The other essays in the volume, or nearly all of them, are like those bitter drinks which increase appetite in some persons and turn the stomach of others. Satire Father Knox maintains, " has an intensely remedial effect ; it purifies the spiritual system as nothing else that is human can–possibly do." Possibly ; but even the best doctors sweeten their medicines a little, otherwise the spoilt children of to-day would not take them. But Father KnoX plainly thinks that this generation is in danger of spoiling, where satire is concerned—we do not take it seriously enough. He says " our habituation to humorous reading.- has inoculated our systems against the beneficent poison of satire." It is no doubt in view of this effort of self-protection that he thinks it well to adininister a very strong dose. Will he call us cowards if we beg him for a little sweet humour to take after this book, and if we beg him to let us have it soon ? •
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