Well, I am to be evicted, and, as I’m not an Irishman, no one will care.  I shall not lie in wait with a shot-gun for my landlord.  But there is no clause in the lease forbidding me from putting up my sale announcement beside the landlord’s.  It will run:—­

FOR SALE this undesirable property cost L550 in 1913.  Never been repaired since.  Damp guaranteed to come through every wall.  Mice can run under the doors but there is not sufficient space for cats to follow them.  The Kitchen Range is unusable.  All hope of baths abandon ye who enter here.  One half of the windows won’t open—­the others won’t shut.  All chimneys smoke in all winds.  A unique chance for the War-rich.

* * * * *

The Puff erratic.

The New Statesman contains a letter from Mr. Arnold Bennett, disclaiming all responsibility for the publisher’s official description of his new novel printed on the “jacket” or paper cover thereof.  It had not been submitted to him for approval and he knew nothing of it.  Mr. Bennett is, of course, entitled to his protest, but we greatly hope that publishers will not be induced thereby to abstain from supplying these interesting summaries.  If only the method could be applied to standard works the results would be even more illuminating.  As for example: 

“Hamlet.”

This delicious comedy is the romance of the Prince of Denmark, which, unlike other romances, begins after his marriage:  with Polonia, daughter of Horatio, who had been previously engaged to both Rosenstern and Guildencranz. Hamlet, by joining a troupe of strolling players, offends his uncle, the reigning sovereign, and is confined in a lunatic asylum.

Brilliant pictures of society in Copenhagen, Denmark Hill and Heligoland alternate with sparkling studies of the inner life of a touring company on the Continent.

“Can a woman love three men?” is the theme of this engrossing extravaganza.

“IDYLLS OF THE KING.”

In a series of exciting episodes, written in fluent heroic couplets, the author gives us a thrilling picture of the manners and customs of the Court of King Arthur, an early British sovereign, whose stately home was situated on the Cornish Riviera.

Owing to the compromising attentions which he pays to Elaine, the Lady of Shalott, the King alienates the affections of Queen Guinevere and is slain by one of his knights, Lancelot by name.

Winsome women, gallant paladins and mysterious magicians throng these fascinating pages, which incidentally throw much light on the theological problems discussed by the Knights of the Round Table, among whom Merlin, Vivien and Enid are especially, prominent.

“VANITY FAIR.”