the
Cat-'o-nine-tails, eh?), has done his work well; and the same may be said
for Others. The work can be recommended as a book of pictorial reference
for Dickensian students, but otherwise it is--ahem--superfluous. If this
kind of trading on the name of DICKENS continues, we shall probably become
HUGHES'd to seeing such announcements as, "Shortly to appear,--_The
Collected Bills of the Butcher and Baker of Charles Dickens_; _Upper
Storeys of Houses in whose Neighbourhood Charles Dickens resided_; _Some
Tradesmen's Accounts, Receipted and Returned with Thanks, Autographically,
to Charles Dickens_, &c., &c.

[Illustration: The Light that Failed; or, a Thief in the Candle.]

A sad story, picturesquely commenced, and powerfully ended, is RUDYARD
KIPLING'S _The Light that Failed_. But, between these two extremes, the
conversations have the deadly fault of being wearisome, and, as to the
manner of their conversation, were the Baron compelled to listen to much of
it, life would indeed not be worth living. The women-kind in it are all
detestable; there is none of them that doeth good in the novel, no, not
one. It becomes gradually gloomier and gloomier, and, indeed, it is well
styled _The Light that Failed_. Since DAUDET'S _Jack_, the Baron calls to
mind no book more pitiful, no characters more heartless, and no sadder
ending. Clever, of course; artistic, equally so; but--well, the Baron's
advice to his enemies is, Go in heavily for Christmas festivities, have an
orgy of plum-pudding, creams, sweets, and mince-pies, and, on the day after
Boxing Day, stay indoors, and read _The Light that Failed_.

In the Baron's office there are several departments, where SAM the Skipper
for novels, CHILD HAROLD for children's books, and PETER the Salt for tales
of the sea, are specially busy at Christmas time. To quote the ancient song
of the "_Mistletoe Bough_":--

"The Baron's retainers were Blythe and Gay;"

and so are they now, as the Ladies BELINDA BLYTHE and GRISELDA GAY
undertake a considerable proportion of such seasonable reviewing as is more
or less expected from the BARON DE BOOK-WORMS about this season of the
year. But the Baron reviews the reviewers, and presents the public with
only the pick of the basket. Now, once for all, the Baron gives notice
hereby and herewith nevertheless and all to the contrary notwithstanding,
that neither he nor his retainers will take notice of Christmas puzzles,
such as, for example, the bilio