21 OCTOBER 1899, Page 24

Johnson Club Papers. By Various Hands. (T. Fisher Unwin.

Gd. net.)—It is only to be expected that these fifteen papers should be of varying merit. It could not be hoped that every contributor should write as well as Mr. Augustine Birrell, or Dr. G. Hill. Mr. Radford's speculations about Johnson's possible love affairs might with much advantage have been left out. Let him keep these things to his minor verse, where they will be out of sensible people's way. This unlucky 'paper ex- cepted, there is nothing with which to find fault, and much to read with interest in the volume. It would be wrong not to name M. Gonnadius's careful paper on " Dr. Johnson as a Grecian." This is a really valuable contribution to our know. ledge of the man. The illustrations add considerable value to the volume.