body else at the end of part one
she hadn't my prolonged experience of _Ledgar's_ incomprehensibility. Nor
did the question of his semi-lunatic friend worry her, or the whole problem
of what, if anything, was the motive of the book. Eventually he is shown
pairing off with his earlier love, _Winnie_; and I am bound to say that she
too has my sympathy. I should sum up by saying that the analysis of
introspective egotism, however subtly done, can make at best only an
exasperating story.

* * * * *

In _By the Waters of Africa_ (ROBERT SCOTT) Miss NORMA LORIMER has
described her British East African travels in a series of letters, in which
she shows a very real sense of style and a delightful assumption of her own
unimportance. To people suffering from the books of travellers who seem
more anxious to air themselves than to give impressions of the countries
through which they have passed, it will be a pure relief to find an author
who suppresses herself and really gets on with her business. Thanks to her
friends, whose kindness she frankly acknowledges, Miss LORIMER was able to
see native life under conditions impossible to a less privileged traveller,
and she misses no feature in it that is either humorous or enlightening. It
is a model book of its kind, valuable up to a certain point and always
pleasant to read. Some of the author's adventures might easily have excused
a reckless use of notes of exclamation. But only once does she give way to
this weakness, and this I pardon her, for I should always use one myself on
the eve of starting for the Mountains of the Moon.

* * * * *

[Illustration: NEW SPORTS FOR OLD.

SNAIL-STALKING IN THE SUBURBS.]

* * * * *

FOR THE HONEYMOON?

"Lady wants quiet summer accommodation; near bees."--_Scotsman._

* * * * *

[Illustration: Epilogue]

MR. PUNCH IN RUSSIA.

In the last Epilogue, where Mr. Punch was described as paying a call upon
our brave soldiers in a German prison-camp, I confessed that I didn't
understand how he got there in the body. To-day I have to report a far
simpler enterprise. This time he has merely been on a mission to Russia.
Anybody can do that, unless the Sailors' and Firemen's Union mistake him
for Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD and no one has yet made this error in respect of
Mr. Punch.

His brilliant mastery of the Russian languag