In Jest and Earnest. By Joseph Hatton. (Leadenhall Press.) —Mr.
Hatton's " book of gossip " is good reading. There are grave stories and gay. Whether they are always true it is need- less to ask ; for the most part, they ought to be. We should be sorry to think that the humourist who would ring the paWn- broker's bell did not really exist, so fanny was his way of accounting for his action. " Meaning of it !" he said, to the questioning policeman, " meaning of it ! he's got my watch, and I want to know what o'clock it is." We like to believe also in the reality of the hotel clerk at Chicago. " What is my bill ?" asked a guest. " How much have you got ? " answered the clerk," that's what it comes to." Not the least entertaining part of the volume is the collection of reminiscences of literary men and actors. Mr. Hatton has given ns what looks like the contents of a common place book, but he has certainly known what to put in it.
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