"The profits blazoned on the Payn," is a line he quotes,
with a slight difference of spelling, in his present three volumes,
which is full of good things; his own "asides" being, to my thinking,
quoth the Baron, by far the most enjoyable part of his books. Herein
he resembles THACKERAY, who used to delight in taking the reader
behind the scenes, and exhibiting the wires. Not so JAMES PAYN. He
comes in front, and comments upon the actions of his puppets, or upon
men and morals in general, or he makes a quip, or utters a quirk, or
proposes a quiddity, and pauses to laugh with you, before he resumes
the story, and says, with the older romancers, "But to our tale." Most
companionable writer is JAMES PAYN. Tells his story so clearly. A PAYN
to be seen through.
In the christening of his Christmas books, Mr. MERRY ANDREW LANG has
hit upon a genuine Happy Thought, on which the Baron begs sincerely
to congratulate him. It is a perfect little gold mine as a book-title
series. Last year M. ANDREW LANG wrote, and LANGMAN'S--no, beg
pardon--LONGMANS published _The Blue Fairy Book.
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