Dust and Diamonds. By Thomas Parnell. (Ward and Downey.) —Under
the above ambitious title, Mr. Parnell includes several short essays on miscellaneous subjects. Some of them are decidedly neat and pointed, and occasionally there is a something that is fresh and bright. As examples of a brisk and cheerful style, we mention " Unique Treasures," " R.S.V.P.," " The Country Friend," and "Twenty Years After." On the whole, however, we must class these short essays as somewhat superficial and wanting in reflective power. Mr. Parnell has a poor opinion of critics ; he certainly does not seem to know much about them. It hardly needs much critical acuteness to detect a ridiculous mistake in the following :—" The cry for help of the dead Emperor was a cry natural and not surprising ;" we cannot agree with him as to the naturalness of the cry. Again, he wishes to know "on what gastronomic principle can the use of soup before dinner be justified as correct." This is really a most surprising display of ignorance of a physiological as well as a gastronomic principle. An essayist cannot know everything ; but before attacking the "correct thing," he should exercise more judgment and common-sense.
Previous page
