An Attie in Bohemia. By E. H. Lacon Watson. (Elkin
Mathews.)—There are some clever and entertaining essays in this volume. Mr. Lacon Watson satirises in a good-humoured way various classes of more or less ridiculous people, dabblers in literature, music, and others. Carrington Smith, who, among other plans, sets up a business to supply songs wholesale—" it is impossible," says our author, " accurately to parody a certain class of drawing-room songs "—Quinten Knox, a schoolmaster (we wonder how " chance took " the satirist into Quinten's class- room, for classrooms are not commonly accessible), are among Mr. Lacon Watson's characters, and seldom fail to amuse.
NEW EDITIONS AND REPRINTS.—Things Japanese. Third Edition, revised by Basil Hall Chamberlain. (John Murray. Ts. 6d.)—The fact that this interesting book has been re- vised, and a great deal of new matter added, calls for more notice than we can usually give to a third edition. In Spite of the fact that it is in dictionary form, the book is eminently readable and entertaining. Where there are some thousand of curious facts recorded it is difficult to select one as most curious, but nothing has interested us more than what is recorded under the head of " Harakari,"—i.e., "the happy despatch." When the Japanese Government yielded to the combined demand of Russia, France, and Germany, and gave up the Liao-tung Peninsula, "forty military men committed suicide in the ancient way," as a protest against what they considered a national humiliation. What Mr. Chamberlain has to say about the Army is very interesting and very important. Altogether, the book is full of fascination for those who care for things Japanese.—Lazy Lawrence, and other Stories. By Maria Edg- -worth. (Macmillan and Co.)—This is a pleasant reprint of an excellent book. The illustrations by Chris Hammond exactly suit the quaintness and grace combined of Mrs. Edgworth's prose. —Pictures of War By Stephen Crane. (Heinemann.)—This volume, a reprint of Mr. Crane's "Red Badge of Courage " and other wonderful battle studies, will be very welcome to his admirers. It has an introductory appreciation by Mr. George Wyndham. Mr. Wyndham always writes like a scholar—in the Elizabethan sense.
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