Literary Rambles in the West of England. By Arthur L.
Salmon. (Chatto and Windus. 6s. net.)—This book answers well to its title. Mr. Salmon knows his subject thoroughly, and pro- duces from his stores of knowledge not a little that will be new to most readers. Perhaps the chapter on George Borrow in Cornwall is the most notable in this respect. Borrow was, we may say, by choice an East Anglian ; but he was born in Corn- wall, and had many kinsfolk there. He seems to have meditated writing a book' about it, which was to be based on notes taken during a pedestrian tour through the county. The book was not written, but Mr. Salmon has had, it appears, access to the notes. But, whether novel or not, what we have here is eminently read- able. We cannot always accept Mr. Salmon's literary judgments. For example, when he is writing on elegies he puts " Lycidas," " Adonals," and "perhaps Gray's 'Country Churchyard,"' above "In Memoriam." It may well be argued that "In Memoriam" is the greatest literary memorial that was ever raised to a friend. But our author is not enthusiastic, to say the least, about Tennyson. We would mention as specially good " Sir Joshua Reynolds in Devon." We must express our dissent from some of Mr. Salmon's judgments about "Hawker of Morwenstow."
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