John Bull's Adventures in the Fiscal Wonderland. By Charles Geake
and F. C. Gould. (Methuen and Co. 2s. 6d. net.)—The greater part of this book has already delighted the readers of the West- minster Gazette in fragments, and we welcome their reissue in one volume. It is remarkable how little change in the narrative is necessary in order to adapt the topsy-turvydom of "Lewis Carroll" to the conditions of the tariff reform campaign. Indeed, the writers must have experienced their principal difficulties in avoiding the exact reproduction of the original phraseology. Perhaps the best of the verse parodies is that on the resigna- tions of the Free-traders, sung by Humpty Dumpty (the Prime Minister) :—
ART IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
"He said to them, he said it plain, ' Then I shall not be here again.
He said it very loud and clear, He whispered it in Austen's ear.
I felt the letter large and new, Fit for the deed I had to do.
My heart went thump, my heart went hop; He signalled me to let it stop.
So no one knew of it, because I left the letter where it was."
This is not only good satire on the situation, but ridiculously near the original. It is unnecessary to commend Mr. Gould's illustra- tions. Some of those in the book have not appeared before. They are all delightfully humorous ; perhaps those of Mr. Chaplin as the drummer of the Little Loaf Army and the walrus, are the best.
Previous page
