Very probably you are already acquainted with that restful and admirable
book, _Father Payne_ (SMITH, ELDER), of which a new edition has just now
been published. The point of this new edition is that, in its special
Preface, the genesis and authorship of the book are assigned, for the first
time on this side the Atlantic, to Mr. A.C. BENSON. And the point of the
new preface is that it entirely gives away the original edition (also
printed here), in which the secret was elaborately concealed. My wonder is,
reading the book with this added knowledge, that anyone can have at any
time failed to detect in it the gently persuasive hand of the Master of
Magdalene, Cambridge. You remember, no doubt, how _Father Payne_ (a
courtesy title), having had a small estate left to him, proceeded to turn
it into the home of a secular community for young men desirous of pursuing
the literary gift, and how he financed, encouraged and generally supervised
them. Leisure, an exquisite setting, and the society of enthusiastic and
personally-selected youth--one might call the book perhaps a Tutor's Dream
of the Millennium. Anyhow, _Father Payne_, as shown in this volume, which
is practically a record of his table-talk upon a great variety of themes,
is exactly the gentle, shrewd and idealistic philosopher whom (knowing his
parentage) one would expect. Bensonians (of the A.C. pattern) will
certainly be glad to have what must surely have been their suspicions
confirmed, and to admit _Father Payne_ to the shelves of authenticity.

* * * * *

Miss DOROTHEA CONYERS has long ere this established herself as a specialist
of repute in Irish sporting tales. You will need but one look at the
picture wrapper of _The Financing of Fiona_ (ALLEN) to see that a
repetition of the same agreeable mixture awaits you within. _Fiona_ was a
charming young woman (Irish, of course) with a rich uncle and a poor, very
unattractive cousin, who loved her for her expectations. As _Fiona_ had no