being so it is arguable that Mr. WARD MUIR was thinking far ahead in
compiling his hospital reminiscences, _Observations of an Orderly_
(SIMPKIN). One hastens to make it clear that the last thing intended
or desired is to disparage the usefulness or the stark self-sacrifice
of the men who are serving in menial capacities in our war hospitals,
but to tell the truth this account of sculleries and laundry-baskets,
polishing paste and nigger minstrels, bathrooms and pillow-slips, has
not much intrinsic interest about it, nor are the author's general
reflections very different from what one could supply oneself without
much effort. His notes on war slang are about the best thing in
the volume, and I liked the story of the blinded soldiers--feeling
anything in the world but mournful or pathetic--who played pranks on
the Tube escalator; but on the whole this is a book which will be of
considerable interest only to the writer's fellow-labourers. They,
beyond any doubt, will be glad to read this history of their familiar
rounds and common tasks.

* * * * *

_Wanted, a Tortoise-Shell_ (LANE) would have made an excellent short
story, but to pursue its farcical developments through three hundred
pages requires a considerable amount of perseverance. The scene of Mr.
PETER BLUNDER'S book is laid in tropical Jallagar, where the British
Resident was keener on cats than on his duties. A male tortoise-shell
was what he fanatically and almost ferociously desired, and to obtain
it he was ready to barter his daughter to one _Kamp_, who is tersely
described as "a fat Swede." I conceived a strong distaste for this
large and perspiring man, and can congratulate Mr. BLUNDELL on having
created a character odious enough to linger in the memory. For the
rest there are some gleams of real fun where a beach-comber tries to