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DOCTOR JOHNSON (A Play)—A. Edward Newton—Atlantic Monthly Press ($3.50). Mr. Newton, well known Philadelphian, book collector and essayist, here presents, with the assistance of numerous immortal shades, four scenes from the life of that burly Doctor, hater of oatmeal, Scotchmen, professional politicians and cant, who is one of the few among the dead celebrities of English literature whom, via Boswell's life, we can know as if we had met him on the street or suffered his thunderous rebuke in person. In this play Mr. Newton's task has been, avowedly, to string certain gems of Johnsonian talk and incident together on a thin thread of drama and he has accomplished his end with unobtrusive canniness. Dr. Johnson's curious ménage at Gough Street—a party at the Thrales'—Mrs. Thrale's decision to marry Piozzi—Dr. Johnson's death—so run the four acts and among the actors are all the Johnsonian company, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Fanny Burney, Burke, Goldsmith, Boswell, Peg Woffington, down to Mr. Levett and even Bet Flint. An experiment comprising much diverting and edifying matter worthy the studious attention of all Johnsonians.
ON THE MARGIN—Aldous Huxley —Doran ($1.75). Seventeen brief notes and essays by the most brilliant young literary man in England. Pleasant, intelligent, rather entertaining little papers. The astonishing thing about them is that they are so mild. So very mild. The book might have been written by almost any bright young gentleman who chose to model his style on that of E. V. Lucas. Did you ever think you were about to degust a genuine pre-War cocktail and then discover as you swallowed that the beverage was strictly W. C. T. U.?
MR. PODD—Freeman Tilden—Macmillan ($2.00). Mr. Podd was Nozzle King of America—a bewildered millionaire. Like most nozzle kings, he had his own individual plans for a Utopian International Commonwealth. So he chartered a ship and set out around the world. The ship's crew took to communism, seized the vessel, marooned the Podd party on a desert island—whence, after many semi-humorous misadventures, they returned to civilization, after discovering that the simple life is not so simple as it sounds. The book is mildly satiric and not unamusing. It could have been much funnier.