' Ugly ': a Hospital Dog. With Recitations and Readings.
By George H. R. Dabbs, M.D. (C. W. Deacon and Co. ls.)—The hospital dog tells, at Dr. Dabbs's prompting, twelve stories of his experiences. He is a bulldog, we should explain, who belongs to prize-fighter. The man dies in hospital, and leaves to it his only possession. 'Ugly' is specially appropriated by the porter, and sees in this way a good deal of life,—and death. His ex- periences are distinctly tragical, as indeed they were likely to be, and they do not lose in effect by the mouthpiece through which they find expression. The dog personality is brought in very skilfully. He has insight up to the very highest standard of dog reason. Possibly he is just a little idealised. The difficulty which Dr. Dabbs does not wholly overcome is his language. His vernacular is good enough when, for example, he describes his many combats ; but when it comes to other matters he is scarcely the bulldog. "A duel of moral fear," for instance, sounds a little strange ; and so when he says of a story that it is "above embroidery." But, on the whole, the stories are strengthened by their surroundings,—they are certainly relieved. The "Recitations and Readings" are powerful; but, of course, they must be judged by trial in the way that is meant for them. We may mention, however, "The Undermaster," which ought to be specially good for a school audience.
Previous page
