2 FEBRUARY 1929, Page 31

"A quaint conceit " probably best describes Mr. Hedley Hope-Nicholson's

curious collection of oddities, which he has called The Mindes Delight (Grant Richards and Philip Saints- bury, 10s. 6d.). They may delight some minds, but to us they seem to appeal to the eye rather than to the mind, for they have been charmingly got up and illustrated with various attractive reproductiona, while their matter is sometimes a little pointless. They consist of extracts from writers ranging from such men as Alderman Fabyan, who lived during the sixteenth century, to Shane Leslie, and the only thing that -they all have in common would appear to be that they are appreciated by Mr. Hedley Hope-Nicholson. There is a rather precious introduction by Mr. R. B.._ cimjAinghame Graham, written in pseudo-mediaeval style.