FICTION.
Signs and Wonders. By J. D. Beresford. (The Golden Cockerel Press. 5s. net.)—In this little book—an example of the production of the Golden Cockerel Press—Mr. J. D. Beresford tries his hand at a series of short stories, most of them having a basis of psychology of one sort or another. If authors had disciples as did the Renaissance painters, the Prologue would certainly be said to be " scuola di " Mr. Bernard Shaw, but it cannot be called a particularly successful example of satiric humour ; the first story, from which the volume takes its title, is also reminiscent of the work of a more imaginative writer. In spite of these slight blemishes at the beginning, there are some good stories to be found later in the volume ; for instance, in "Enlargement," the author succeeds in con- veying the feeling of wonder and exaltation with which the hero sees " three vast, prehistoric, unattended elephants, imperturbably exploring the silences of this dead and lonely city." This phenomenon is observed at the end of an air raid on the Embankment, and the explanation of the matter comes with as great a shock to the reader as to the hero of the story. More entertaining is the sketch entitled " The Convert," dealing with the manner in which Henry Wolverton, an expert on history, faces the outbreak of the English Revolution. It is awkward for him, as he has just proved conclusively in long articles in the Times that the temper of the English people would never seek the arbitrament of an armed revolution. There is a very amusing conversation between Wolverton and Susan Jeffery, aged twenty-three, an important member of the League of Youth, when she takes refuge from the mob in his house. She points out that the revolution is entirely his fault, and has deprived her League of the peaceful opportunity which they had hoped for, for taking over the government of England on a new basis. It is an excellent skit, and worth reading. In the longest story, " The Night of Creation," an extremely ghostly atmo- sphere is produced and a spirit becomes materialized. The appearance is subsequently explained, but by an ingenious touch the explanation is proved to be untrue, and the genuine- ness of the apparition is established. While Mr. Beresford's special talents do not seem particularly suited to the medium of the short story, the little collection is worth looking at.
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