racter-drawing. It is just a six-shilling novel, and I do not see
what else one can say of it. Mr. JEPSON must do one of two things. He
must either brace up and make his style less irritatingly slipshod, or
he must give us a few more murders. If we cannot have literary elegance
he must give us blood.

* * * * *

Lieutenant L. B. RUNDALL, of the 1st Gurkha Rifles, author of _The Ilex
of Stra-Ping_ (MACMILLAN), was not only a soldier and a sportsman, but a
writer with a most keen sense of the beauty of nature and the beauty of
words. Children should love these Himalayan sketches, for Mr. RUNDALL,
from material which in some cases was admittedly slight, could weave a
tale full of magic and charm. The story of the old brown bear in "The
Scape-goat" may not greatly stir the heart with the thrill of adventure,
but the hero has attractions that no child and no man that has not
forgotten his childhood could resist. An inconspicuous notice in the
book tells us that the author fell in action towards the close of 1914.
I salute his memory. Rich as we are to-day in authors who can write
enchantingly of birds and animals, I feel a sense of personal sorrow in
the loss of one whose work gave so fair a promise of high achievement.

* * * * *

When you take up _Russian Folk-Tales_ (KEGAN, PAUL), don't allow
yourself to be subdued by the deplorably learned preface of the
translator, Mr. LEONARD MAGNUS, LL.B., because it is not the proper
attitude really. Forget how little business a Bachelor of Law has to lay
his sceptical hands on such inappropriate material, and plunge into a
jolly, bewildering tangle of tales of magic and adventure,
bloodthirstiness and treachery, simple charity, _vodka_ and genial
superstition. You will be led from one to the other, puzzled but, I dare
conjecture, highly entertained. I think you may take it, too, that a
certain healthy sort of children will like to have these queer stories
read aloud. The villainies of the _Baba Yaga_, an old witch of terrific
resourcefulness, and the oddly inconsequent animal stories should make
particular appeal. But you will be hard put to it to answer the
questions which will be thrust at you; and (by the way) perhaps you will
discreetly have to leave out a phrase or two for prudence' sake. On no
account let the youngsters read the preface. I am not really quite sure
whether you ought to read it yourself.