A Miscellany of the Wits. Edited by K. N. Colvile.
(Philip Allan. 15s. net.)—This scholarly and exceptionally well-printed volume in " The Scholar's Library " contains some satirical pieces of Queen Anne's day—" A Journey to London " and " Dialogues of the Dead " by Dr. William King, and the far better known " History of John Bull " by Dr. John Arbuthnot. The editor has taken pains to elucidate the meaning of the " John Bull " pamphlets which were, as he says, written as Government propaganda during the fierce party. conflict in 1712 over the negotiations which led to the Peace of Utrecht in the following year. Pope said that Arbuthnot was the sole author of these witty political parables, akin in style and temper to the Tale of a Tub, but it may be presumed that Arbuthnot received hints from his friends and fellow-Tories, Swift, Pope, and Prior, in his campaign against the Whig war- party. Controversy has moderated its tone in the two centuries since " John Bull " was written, but some of the arguments used are modern enough.
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