My Baronite would not advise those about to travel to take passage by any ship, whithersoever bound, of the start whereof CLARK RUSSELL knows anything. His cruisers mostly set out in fine weather, with swelling breeze, in the full sunshine of circumstance. Then comes a hitch, and there follow the most blood-curdling adventures that ever happened since men first began to go down to do business in the great waters. The marvel of it is that Mr. RUSSELL'S imagination never flags, nor is he ever at loss for those minute details which, skilfully and artistically piled up, go to make a living picture. _Heart of Oak_, his last work, just published by CHATTO AND WINDUS, is worthy to take its place in the matchless roll of his sea stories. Of living writers Mr. RUSSELL, alike in style and method, most nearly approaches the classic standard of DEFOE. In his last work he has captured the stormy seas south of Cape Horn, brings home their turmoil, their snow squalls, their icebergs, and a general sense of their desolation to the gentleman of England who sits at home at ease. That historic person's opportunity of making acquaintance with those interesting parts is decidedly more agreeable and, under Mr. CLARK RUSSELL'S guidance, is scarcely less informing than a voyage in the _Lady Emma_, a vessel of six hundred tons, which was the sad fate of the principal characters in this thrilling story. The Baron feels it incumbent upon him to correct a statement in Mr. T. H. S. ESCOTT'S most readable and interesting work, entitled _Platform, Press, Politics, and Play_, which, if allowed to go uncontradicted, would thereby allow a great error to creep into University and Dramatic History. Mr. ESCOTT says that the late Mr. ALFRED THOMPSON "had, together with several others, been one of the A. D. C.'s founders at Cambridge." This is not so; Mr. ALFRED THOMPSON had taken his degree, and "gone down," some four years before the A. D. C. was founded; _vide_ preface to _Personal Reminiscences of the A. D. C._, first paragraph, and also p. xi. of the same. Mr. ESCOTT is a most entertaining companion, as is also Mr. HENRY RUSSELL, whose profession was for years "entertaining," and who wrote such songs as the world will not willingly let die. "_Woodman Spare that Tree_" is one of them. The RUSSELL Reminiscences (published by MACQUEEN, in one volume, entitled "_Cheer, Boys, Cheer!_") the Baron must take leave to correct on one point. HENRY RUSSELL alludes to "that distinguished _Punch_ trio, DOUGLAS JERROLD, MARK LEMON, and GEORGE CRUIKSHANK." The last mentioned was never "on _Punch_." He was a great friend of MARK LEMON'S, but never drew for _Mr. Punch_. THE BARON DE BOOK-WORMS. P.S.--_Phil May's Winter Annual_ is in brilliant bloom. Though coming out in the cold, bleak season, the touch of May is in every picture. * * * * *