[Illustration:  “I DON’T THINK I CARE ABOUT THAT ONE.  IT MAKES ME LOOK LIKE ONE OF THESE ’ERE SPANISH DANCERS.”]

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LITERARY GOSSIP.

MR. WELLS has a new volume of collected Prefaces coming out this week, with an Introduction and an Epilogue by Sir HARRY JOHNSTON.  It will be remembered that in Joan and Peter, a comparatively early work of Mr. WELLS—­it was published, if our memory serves us, before the Armistice—­handsome acknowledgment was made of Sir HARRY JOHNSTON’S administrative ability and high aims; and it is pleasant to know that in the long interval that has elapsed nothing has occurred to modify their mutual admiration.

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The firm of Black and Green will shortly publish Lord DYSART’S monumental monograph on China Tea:  the Universal Antidote. Lord DYSART establishes the remarkable fact that the word “dyspepsia” was practically unknown until the introduction of Indian and Ceylon tea.  Mr. WELLS, who contributes an illuminating Preface, points out that the troubles of Russia are entirely due to the cutting off of the supplies of caravan tea from China (the leading Bolshevists prefer vodka to tea in any form) and the consequent recourse to inferior synthetic substitutes.  The rival merits of cream, milk and lemon are carefully discussed both from the gustatory and hygienic standpoint, Mr. WELLS pronouncing in favour of lemon, in which idiosyncrasy he resembles Mr. CONRAD and Mr. GALSWORTHY.  The volume is richly illustrated with pictures of rare tea-pots, tea-caddies and samovars, and contains a set of humorous verses dedicated to the author by Mr. T. LEIF JONES.

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The Right Hon. REGINALD MCKENNA’S new book, The Proud Podsnaps, will be his first novel, and we hear it is to be humorous.  His distinguished relative, Mr. STEPHEN MCKENNA, Mr. WELLS and Mr. HERBERT JENKINS have all written encouraging Prefaces to it; and Master ANTHONY ASQUITH has added two essays on commercial aviation and a couple of brilliant caricatures of Mr. LLOYD GEORGE and Mr. WINSTON CHURCHILL.

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Mr. HAROLD BEGBIE’S Life of the Kaiser is already far advanced, but he has laid it on one side in order to collaborate with Sir ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE in the authoritative biography of Sir OLIVER LODGE.  It is understood that of the chapters dealing with the physiognomy and phrenological aspect of the subject Mr. HAROLD BEGBIE will be exclusively responsible for those on the frontal regions of Sir OLIVER’S cranium, while Sir ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE will devote himself to the occipital Hinterland.  In this way it is hoped that the whole area, which is enormous, will be adequately covered.  The book will be published by Messrs. Odder and Odder at 10s. 6d.; but a limited number of copies, with special tambourine and planchette attachments, will be available at L2 2s.