I am no pacificist, but I am bound to admit that the moment seems
distinctly ripe for a cessation in one minor War product, namely the
trench-book. Perhaps some form of armistice might be arranged, to
last, say, six months; at the end of which time (should the War last
so long) the changed conditions of campaigning on German soil might
at least give our impressionists a chance of originality. I have been
inspired to these comments by a perusal of _Mud and Khaki_ (SIMPKIN),
in which Mr. VERNON BARTLETT has reprinted from _The Daily Mail_ and
elsewhere a number of vigorous and realistic studies of life on the
Western Front. Perhaps, as a whole, the collection is a little more
grim than most; but there are not wanting touches of light comedy, in,
for example, the comments of an admirable philosopher named _"Pongo"
Simpson_. For the rest the book is precisely what you can gather from
its title. In his preface the author tells us that his object in
writing it has partly been to correct a lack of appreciation among
stay-at-homes of the hardships and heroism of their defenders. But
does there really breathe a man with soul so dead as to belittle these
to-day? I should be ashamed to think so. Still, do not suppose that I
regret that Mr. BARTLETT should have been goaded by whatever motive
into print. Far from it, for he is clearly a writer of gifts. But I
suggest that he should next time exhibit them to us in some (dare I
say?) less trenchant guise.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Returned Soldier_. "WELL, JOHN, I DON'T SEE MUCH
CHANGE IN THE OLD PLACE SINCE I WENT AWAY."

_Old Villager_. "OH, WE AIN'T SUCH STICK-IN-THE-MUDS AS YOU MAKE OUT,
MY LAD. W'Y AIN'T YOU NOTICED THAT OLD MRS. HUBBLE 'AS GOT A NEW PAIR