19 MAY 1923, Page 21

Scribner's Magazine.

The advertisements are the most interesting part of Scrib- ner's : there are over a hundred pages of imaginative fiction and wild romance. In phrasing and illustration we are far behind American advertisers. In the body of the magazine Professor William Lyon Phelps tells us of his predilections in idiom ; incidentally he calls attention to the fact that English- men say " he don't " instead of " he doesn't." Mr. Mencken has already explained certain of our enormities in speech : we say " tart " for " fiancée," he informed us. We should welcome a more thorough exposition of our unconscious crimes. A selection is given from the newly published letters written by George Meredith to Alice Meynell.