5 DECEMBER 1896, Page 11

Goldsmith's Comedies. Edited by Joseph Jacobs. (George Allen.) —Mr. Jacobs

has something to tell us about the circumstances under which the comedies were brought out. In his criticisms of Goldsmith he does not give us anything of remarkable value. Surely if he had studied his author to good purpose he would not have used the atrocious metaphor of,—" They [the Comedies], like the immortal Vicar, are cuts from the joint of Human Nature, and we can eat and come again to them." The illustrations are numerous and good, and the general appearance of the volume all that could be desired.