In one of the essays which compose Calm Weather (Chapman
and' Hall, Os.), Mr. Gilbert Thomas confesses that he was at school neither an athlete nor a scholar. That is as much as to say that he is no specialist, or not, at least, on one of the customary specialities, and it is that quality, with others, which render the essays something rather out of the ordinary way. Indeed, it is a very uncommon quality in Mr. Thomas, which must be familiar to readers of the Spectator, that makes him take such an interest in the incidents and things of every day, not for the sake of the uplifting thoughts which they
inspire, though these, too, are within his compass, but rather for what they are, as Kant said, " in themselves." His is a specialism of common sense, though not of what is customarily accepted' as such. His common sense is sensible enough to take account of the Spiritual revival which lies behind the reviving vogue of Bach, as well as of the intricacies and pleasures of the old cross-country train journey. And he has no literar3; -self-consciousness. The unobtrusive quality of his writing may, indeed, be Seen in the fact that Very- often, if we do -not 'take care; 'we. shall feel that he' has -merely reminded-its Of 'things' \Then he has, in reality, broUght them for the first -ffine to Our ribtide. In *such days as these his qualitimuare- more praised than practised.
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