Seven Summers : an Eton Medley. By the Editors of
the Parachute and the Present Etonian. (R. Ingalton Drake, Eton.)— There are certainly some amusing things in this book. Perhaps the best of the papers is that which is headed "Crocodile." Crocodile' was a dog, so called by mortal man, but the immortals called him Antoninus Pius ;' and the story tells of how his enemies sought to slay him. The visit to the Jew, when poison was fixed upon as the best means, is of course broad farce, but certainly laughter-moving. The Jew is suspicious. " Your dog has two legs ? Nicht so ?' The old gentleman winked horribly. Four,' said Buck, still in the dark. Four exactly.' The Jew winked more horribly than ever. So you are gunning. Bot be frank. Who is he ? Your guardian, perhaps, or your vffe—but no, you are too yong for a wife—or your fazzer ? yong man, can it be your fazzer ?" Finally he produces a "purifying powder," with the recommendation : " When at the inquest they cut up the corpse, there is no more sign than of an ordinary vegetable pill ;" and the advice : "O yong man, be gareful ; look to the vill before. I have known disappointments and grief at the funeral, all for want of a little gare." The writers make a quite surprising pretence of cynicism and knowledge of the world. Happily, one can see that it is a pretence. But the book does not give us a very pleasant idea of Eton. There seems to be
very little of the frankness and freshness of boyhood. But Eton boys are boys only in name.
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