Turning Things Over (Methuen, Os.), reprinted from Punch and the
Sunday Times, are in Mr. Lucas's familiar style. Read collectively they give the rather unfortunate impression that-they were written for no particular reason, but to fill the space allotted to them ; and this impression is deepened by the rambling style, which allows itself rather more diVer- genee from the immediate subject than is customary even in the modem essay. There is, perhaps, also too great a liberality in the matter of quotation, in fact one piece consists of one page of writing, and no less than nine of quotation without a word of -comment. Nevertheless, many of these essays are very well worth reading, not only for the benevolent quizzicality of Mr. Lucas, but in order to be reminded of many things that have been or are being forgotten, and of many good old stories. It is good to be reminded of the one-legged Don Patos of Brighton, or of the fact that Paderewski was once known in London as " the human chrysanthemum." It is by such details as these that we establish contact with other generations, a task peculiarly suited to the holiday season now ending. To browse upon such stories, preferably in a garden, is a suitable holiday occupation, and, if we sometimes go to sleep over them, we are sure that Mr. Lucas would be the last to blame us for that.
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