... . Life of W. S. Gilbert. On the cover of an admirably produced, clearly arranged, and interestingly illustrated volume, W. S. Gilbert: His Life and Letters (Methuen, 15s. net), by Sidney Dark and Miss Rowland Grey, sister of Gilbert's intimate friend, the late Henry Rowland-Brown, it is affirmed that this is* 44 the first authoritative biouraphy of the famous Savoyard. However this may ...

... . Plays and Controversies. There may seem to be far-off echoes of old squabbles and contests, half-dead but not forgotten, in the first part of the volume, by W. B. Yeats, thus entitled, and published by Macmillan and Co., Ltd.; at 10s. 6d. net; yet, as is said by the eloquent and siastic qnthor, of whom a speaking likeness, from a charcoal drawing by John 8. Sargent, serves as ...

... , Mirandolina. G. P. Putnam's Sons send for notice two volumes of plays (each published at 1s. 6d. net), the plot of one of which has been familiar for nearly a couple of centuries. Duse made famous here some forty years back that delightful comedy of Carlo Goldoni. La Locandiera. a translation of whioh was given somewhat later, with Mrs. Dash- wood in the title-role. Then Albert O'Donnell ...

... . Cling of the Clay. By MILTON HAYES. No wonder that that versatile writer and entertainer Milton Hayes has strictly reserved the motion picture, dramatic, broadcasting, mechanical record, and all other lights in his sensational novel, Cling of the Clay, published at 7s. 6d. net by Hodder and Stoughton. It might form tho basis of a most thrilling and exciting murder mystery drama, as ...

... . THE BRISTOL STAGE. Two small and also deeply interesting volumes on different aspects of the Bristol Stage have come to hand. One of them, issued at 2s. 6d. net by the Fountain Press, at 10, Clifford's Inn, sets, out to tell the story of the stage of that western city from 1490 to 1925. and is styled more a love-letter than n history by it3 authoress or compiler, Miss M. E. Board, whose ...

... . MR. JEROME'S BOOK. A fine coloured reproduction of de László's portrait of Jerome K. Jerome serves as frontispiece to that versatile man's volume styled My Life and Times, issued at 16s. net by Hodder and Stoughton. To us what Mr. Jerome says about his Times is as interesting as are tho details of his Life proper, though there may bo varying grades of importance in tlie book. Certainly ...

... . Michael Strogoff. James V. Bryson's presentation of Jules Verne's story proved to be as big as he had promised; indeed, it was probably the biggest prologue of its kind ever staged in any country. The Albert Hall was packed. It was noticeable, however, that, although boxes were draped with the tlags of every imaginable country, the Union Jack was missing. The scenery by John Bull ...

... . NERINA. A Lyrical Drama in lhree Acts. By Phbct Pinkerton. Set to \Tncir> lio ('mm ks Ha t Gil AN. Given sufficiently elaborate operatic production, this lyrical drama, with scene laid in Medicean Florence (August, 1423), might prove a suitable addition to the repertory of the B.N.O.C or of the Carl Rosa company. Nerina, which has been written in three acts, has a short cast of six ...

... . MY GARDEN. An interesting booklet, partly in verse, partly in pithy prose, has been issued, at Is. bo., by Ethel Montague, who is proud to trace her desecnt from the cele brated Bumey family. Her great-great-grandfather was Dr. Charles liurney, who wrote tho first. History of Musio published, and whose bi centenary has recently been commemorated. Dr. Burnev was father of Fanny Bumey, known ...

... . MR. RATHMELL WILSON. Tho Cazton Book Shop has isued a half-crown new edition of Rc 1 Birth, Rathmell Wil*on'> roman tio novel dealing with stage life and tho theory ol re-incarnation. This was originally written in 1908 and published in 1909, when the ad venturous and versatile author, a good deal younger then ho now is, was a veritable Bohemian in Lon- [don, though, indeed, Mr. Wilson r ...

... . POOR OLD SHAKESPEARE. A designedly polemical volume in the 2s 6d. Kegan Paul ''To day and To-morrow series is ''Iconoclastes; Or the Future of Shakespeare,'' by Hubert Griffith, who, after his long and labourod eulogy of the Barry Jackson Hamlet, in Modern Dress, will probably enjoy Inmseit to nil heart's oontent in the same mana ger's productions of Macbeth and Taming of tbe Shrew. ...

... . FROM STAGE TO BAR. Under this odd title, showing how a man of the theatre became the landlord of a country inn, has been published at 1s., by the firm of W. J Parrett, Ltd., of the Isle of Thanet Gazette, the recollections of Mr. R. H. Lindo. which appeared in our columns after his retirement from Drury Lane. Some mention of this fact, might surely have oecn made after the re-issue of ...