A Zoovenir. By C. H. B. (Dublin : The Royal
Zoological Society of Ireland. Is. net.)—Mr. Bretherton is one of Mr.
Punch's nest of singing birds, and his work is characterized by the ease, the polished neatness, and the adroit handling of classical and technical phrases in fluent unembarrassed verse that distinguish the school of Sir Owen Seaman. He has been particularly happy in acquiring the subtle quality of his proto- type's humour—a humour which never runs headlong into broad-faced mirth, but keeps us continually titillated with a succession of metrical surprises and intellectual refreshments.
To this equipment he has added a real affectionate intimacy with the birds, beasts, and fishes that he celebrates in his lilting lines ; we feel not only that he liked Thomas, the gnu, and James, the hippopotamus, but that James and Thomas liked him, and were glad to see him even when he forgot the propitiatory bag of buns. He has something, too, of Browning's audacity in the manufacture of ingenious rhymes, and a more critical ear to test them ; we quote a couple of stanzas from the poem addressed " To a Curried Prawn " as fair average specimens of his quality :-
" Oft have I dreamed that a figure so eerie hid Secrets that Science declines to reveal ; Secrets that prove thee akin to the Nereid, Not, as supposed, to the oyster and eel.
Still we devour thee, unfortunate Sessilide, Purchase thy delicate carcase for pelf ; Nay, if the thing made me just a bit less ill I'd Banish compunction, and eat thee myself."
A Zoovenir is capital fun ; and as all the profits of its sale go to the upkeep of the Dublin Zoological Gardens, the purchaser not only gets good value for his shilling, but helps to support
an excellent institution which is much in need of assistance.
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