that the picture is altogether overdrawn. But we do not like _George
Minafer_, and his final reconciliation with his own sweetheart and her
father--the man whom ho has prevented his mother from marrying--leaves
us cold. But if the characters are unpleasing the craftsmanship of
_The Magnificent Ambersons_ is of Mr. BOOTH TARKINGTON'S best, and his
description "of the decline and fall of a locally supreme dynasty
of plutocrats before the hosts of the Goths and Huns of spawning
industrialism is almost a contribution to American social history.

* * * * *

[Illustration: _Disturbed Burglar_. "'SORL RIGHT, CONSTABLE. I'M ONLY
'AVIN' A GLOAT OVER ME WHIST-DRIVE PRIZES."]

* * * * *

Of the two tales in _Wild Youth and Another_ (HUTCHINSON) I prefer
the other. In "Wild Youth" Sir GILBERT PARKER gives us the unedifying
picture of a horrible old man married to a young and pretty girl.
Jealous, tyrannical and vicious, this creature--referred to as a
behemoth--is in all conscience unsavoury enough; but no one can read
his story without feeling that he never had a dog's chance; and
although the tale is in many respects well-told, I feel that it
would have been vastly improved if some redeeming qualities had been
vouchsafed to the villain of the piece. "Jordan is a Hard Road" is a
more engaging piece of work. Here we have a man who has walked
through most of the commandments--with especial attention to the
eighth--trying to mend his ways. And he makes rather a sound job of it
until something quite unforeseen happens; and then the old Adam (if
this is quite fair to Adam) asserts himself. From a publisher's
"literary note" enclosed in this book you will learn that Sir
GILBERT'S imagination is "as boundless as the tracts of the Prairie
which he loves and knows how to make his readers love." This is
perhaps rather a large order, but I will content myself by saying that
for the scenes of these stories Sir GILBERT has chosen ground that is
familiar to him, and that knowledge is sometimes even more useful than
imagination.

* * * * *

"HAMLET" AND THE FLU (an appeal to the Government): "Angels and
Ministers of Health defend us!"

END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol.
156., March 5, 1919, by Various

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PUNCH ***

***** This file should be named