Men at Arms. By Major W. P. Drury. (Chapman and
Hall. 3s. 6d.)—The latest work by the author of "The Peradventures of Private Pagett," like most of its predecessors, consists of short stories and sketches. As is usual with a book by Major Drury, it is full of good things ; but, as is unusual, parts of it are somewhat spoilt by slipshod workmanship. For example, we remember that in a previous book Private Pagett, the mouthpiece of most of the stories, refers to a certain Admiral—Sir Telfer Bagge, unless our memory is at fault—as having invented the rank of " Stoker Admiral." This, as it stands in the book, is a pleasant enough piece of fooling. But in the volume before us Vice-Admiral Sir John Virgo, who fought the "Battle o' the Congo," is referred to by Pagett as inventing the rank of " Plumber Admiral." This is hunting a good enough joke to , death. It also shows a lack of revision, to put it at the lowest, to call two different characters, in two stories in the same book, by the same name, and that so conspicuous a one as " Butterbiggins." But apart from such faults, the book is, on the whole, a most excellent potpourri. All the Pagett stories are as good as usual, and "The Relapse of the Rutland Rakes" is quite in Major Drury's best manner. The little Elizabethan play is amusing, if a trifle unconvincing. But perhaps the short sketches at the end of the book are the best part of it. "A Greek Tragedy" is especially good. But Major Drury must remember that a short story needs far more polishing than any other kind of fiction if it is to be convincing. There is no room in it for anything which will cause the reader to pansq in his stride and mentally correct the author's lapses.
Previous page
