that their recreations are dodging O.B.E.'s and the Income Tax
Commission. Publications: _Hanwell Men as I knew Them_. Club: The
Philanderers, and so forth. This cramps your style.

But the book before us now is pregnant with half-hidden romances,
which you can weave into any shape that you will, and, what is more,
it is written in a noble beautiful English which you have probably
never had time to master. I want you to do that now. Suppose, for
instance, that in private life your hostess introduced you to Museum
88901 Wilkinson Arthur Jas.--let us say at a Jazz tea. And suppose you
were to ask him what his business was, and he told you that he was
an Actnr and Srvyr or a Pprhngr. Probably you would be surprised;
possibly even you wouldn't believe him. But it's all there in the
book.

The type too is diversified by sudden changes which intrigue me
greatly. All over London I like to fancy little conversations of this
sort are going on:--

_Hop 1900 Tomkinson Edward C_.-- "Hello, is that TOMKINSON EDWARD C.?"

_GERRARD 22001 TOMKINSON EDWARD C_.--"SPEAKING."

_Hop 1900 Tomkinson Edward C_.-- The Whlsl Slvrsmths?"

_GERRARD, ETC_.--"DON'T SPLUTTER LIKE THAT. WHO ARE YOU?"

_Hop, etc_.--"I'm Tomkinson Edward C. too. Little Edward C. of Hop.
The Tbcnst. I only wanted to have a talk with you, big brother."

Or sometimes it takes the shape of a novel, starting something like
this:--

Kensington 100110 Williams Miss, Tpst., a beautiful but penniless
girl, in love with--

Regent 8000 Air Ministry, Ext. 1009, a young aviator who has won the
Mlty. Crss. (2 Brs). Their path is crossed by--

City 66666 (12 lines), BLENKINSOP JEHORAM AND CO., Fnncrs. Blenkinsop
wishes to marry Miss Williams, on account of a large legacy which he
has reason to believe will come to her from

Mayfair 5000 Dashwood-Jones H. See Jones H. Dashwood, and so on.

Sometimes, again, as I plunge still deeper into the fascinating
volume, a poem seems to fashion itself and leap from the burning page.
Listen.

She hears not Park appealing
Nor Gerrard's wail of woe,
Her heart is on to Ealing
89200;

For there her true love (smartest
Of lcl plmbrs) speaks;
For him our switch-board artist
Puts powder on her cheeks.

For him, the brave, the witty,
When evening's shadows drop
She flies from Rank and City
To tread some Western hop.

For him her spirit ranges
Through realms of blissful thrall,
And t