SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
l Under this heading we notice such Books er as week es hays not bees>, reserred for veriest in other forms.] William Morris: Poet, Craftsman, and Social Reformer. By A. Compton Rickett. (Herbert Jenkins. 7s. 6d. net.)— In spite of the classical quality of Professor Mackail'a- biography and the insight and sympathy of the less ambitious studies of Mr. Drinkwater and Mr. Holbrook Jackson, there- was plenty of room for this new essay on William Morris. Mr. Rickett is a sane though ardent admirer, and he has. studied deeply every outlet of Morris's countless energies.. Moreover, he has succeeded in collecting a good deal of personal material which has not hitherto found its way into print. Mr. Wilfrid Blunt contributes a sympathetic sketch of the visit which Morris paid to him in Sussex shortly before- his death, an interesting conversation with Mr. John Burns is recorded, and many new anecdotes have been obtained from those who enjoyed the privilege of the poet's friend- ship. By these means Mr. Rickett has succeeded in pre- senting an admirable picture of that exuberant, indomit- ably boyish personality with its strange limitations of vision and its extraordinary range of energy, and he has_ addeda careful and discriminating analysis of Morris's achievement in poetry, prose, handicraft, and social reform. An excellent feature of the book is the analytical biography of Morris's life and work which forms an appendix.
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