LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 15

LITERARY.

■ Under the title of "Once a Week," Messrs. Methuen and Co. publish a collection of short stories and sketches by Mr. A. A. Milne These are of the light and amusing order, and their excellence may be gauged by the fact that they originally appearjed in "Punch." This is a splendid book for a-busy man's recreation in spare minutes. A copy of the Holy Scriptures, as prepared for the use of soldiers at the front, reaches us from the publisher, Mr. Henry Frowde, of the Oxford University Press. This is a marvel of compactness—nearly a thousand pages, in flexible khaki cover, containing the whole of the Old aaid New Testaments in a form that can be carried in the waistcoat pocket. A translation of General F. yon Bernhardi's book "War To-day " has been published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, of London, under the title of "How Germany Makes War." This cheap paper-cover edition of a work that had much to do with shaping German policy and methods ought to have a large circulation. Perhaps the best of the London "Daily Telegraph" war books is that entitled "A Scrap of Paper: the Inner History of German Diplomacy." This is written by Dr. E. J. Dillon, a wellknown European publicist of large experience, wide knowledge, and great ability. In a lengthy introduction, eleven chapters and an appendix, Dr. Dillon tells the story of the diplomatic negotia-tians that preceded the declaration of war, and shows with unerring logic how the responsibility rests with Germany. The book is published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, London. If there are any people who still take an interest in the question of marriage, as affected by the Papal "Ne Temere" decree they will be glad to read a little treatise on the subject, just published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London. This is entitled "State Marriage and Christian Marriage, with Special Reference to the Ne Temere Decree," and is by the Rev. R. H. Hobday, Vicar of Brooklyn, Wellington. It is a careful and temperate statement of the position, and is of special value as defining the attitude of the Church of England towards the subject of marriage. Mr. Robert W. Service, author ol "Songs of a Sourdough" avnd- "Ballads of a Cheeehako," who has been called the "Canadian Kipling," has now left Canada, and iB living in Paris, in the Latin Quarter. His new novel, "The Pretender," which is appearing in Un win's Colonial Library, though not in any sense an autobiography, is the outcome of his Paris experiences. James Horace Madden,' the hero, sometimes known as "Mad Madden," a writer ol •best-sellers, wonders if he has deserved success or has only achieved it. Tc ■test himself he cuts aloof from his friends and funds and goes to London there to try from the very bottom of thf ladder to gain, the top once more. He afterwards goes to Paris, where hi: efforts to climb up the ladder again an hampered by an awakening of his artisti< conscience. The story of hig struggle and vicissitudes in the Bohemia of thf Latin Quarter i 3 vividly told, and th( book is full of humorous touches, ant written with admirable lightness. The "Corahiil Magazine" for February opens with the second instalment ol Sir A. Conan Doyle's "Western Wanderings," in the course of which the writer describes a humorous experience with <| Western interviewer. He says:—"l can remember that on my previous visit I was approached one night by an interviewer in a very marked state of intoxication. He was so drunk that 1 wondered what in the world he would make of his subject, and I bought his paper next day to see. To my amuse ment 'I found that I had made the worsl possible impression upon him. He had found no good in mc at aIL He may even have attributed to mc his .owi weakness, like the Scotch toper whe said, 'Sandy drank that hard that by the end of the evening I couldn't see him.'" "Robert Hugh Benson: Some Early Memories," by Mr. Archibald Marshall, recalls the shaping of an interest ing personality. Reminiscent also is ar Old Rugbeian's " Moberley's — and Rugby in the late Of mattei concerning the warr are "The Trenchee in their Making," by Captain C. T Davis, with a note by Lord Sydenhan of Combe; "A Piteous Story: Aerschot August, 1914," by Mr. E. D. Kendall; "Birds and the Battlefields." by Mr Horace Hutchinson; and "Thf Tollhouse," by Evelyn St. Leger, a re markable story of the wartime in ar old-fashioned English village. In the "'Empire Review" for February Donald Macmaster, K.C., MP., under thf title "The Empire in Arms," reviews the sauses of the war and the military condition of the Empire at its outbreak. Hf also shows its bearing upon Imperialism ! 'The Financial Situation" is dealt witl in extracts from Sir Edward Holden's speech at the meeting of the London Dity and Midland Bank. J. Obed Smith, F.R.G.S., Assistant Superintealent of Emigration for the Dominion ol Canada, very ably reviews "Canada's Place in the War." He describes the promptitude with which Canada placed its military and naval resources at the iisposal of the Imperial Government: 'Already 33,000 troops have been dispatched and are in camp on Salisbury Plain, in Bermuda, or fighting at the iront, and this constitutes the greatesl novement of troops for such a distance that the world has ever seen. In three lines, thirty-three transports, with al he accoutrements and equipment of a full Army, crossed the Atlantic in safety under the escort of British cruisers further contingents are being organised (some are already in training), and will be sent over from time to time as neesc be, until the full total of 108,000 men an active service is complete. But this is not all. The Prime Minister has de ilared that if. and when necessary 200,000 or 300,000 will b e sent to nghl against the Germans. Let it never be forgotten that there are two millioi men between 18 and 44 years of age ir Canada prepared to defend the Empire which they know, as we all know, se cures to them liberty of thought ane freedom of action." "The Rebellion ii South Africa" is dealt with by Mrs Conyers Alston, in an article which th< editor would have been well advised it omitting from the "Review" at the pre sent juncture. Its tone is grossly offen siv e to the Boers as a people, and i pervaded by those prejudices and an tagonisms which have in the past doni so much to provoke bad blood betweei the races inhabiting South Africa. Thi editor contributes a suggestive articli on "New Markets for British Goods."

Dr. Sanday's pamphlet, "The Deeper Causes of the War," published ■> by. the Oxford University Press, is well' deservdng of perusal by all who may be in any doubt as to the teachings and tendencies that made the present great war inevitable. "Chambers's Journal" for February publishes a number of articles dealing with topics connected .with the war. Vicount Santo T-hyrso describes "Belgium as I Saw It." He gives a concise review of the condition of the country before the war, and the political arms of its rulers. "The invasion of Belgium by Germany," he says, "looks to mc like a ruffian ruthlessly trampling on an anthill for no other reason than that it happened to he in his path. The galleries laboriously built by the industrious insects are ruined, the stores accumulated by the whole summer's -work are destroyed, and the ruffian goes on his way heedless of the ruin he baa caused by his selfish progress. . . These Belgians—the little ants trodden under the hoofs of the German cavalry—are a hard-working, sober-minded, peaceful people, who have never asked anything but to be left alone." Other articles deal with "Aden: One of Our Outposts," "The Russians in Business," and "Impressions of Portuguese East Africa." The fiction, as usual, is interesting and varied. Although Bismarck never went as far as some of his present-day countrymen, who proclaim Shakespeare to be a German, the Iron Chancellor's devotion to our national poet was intense enough to provide the groundwork of a monograph by Herr Arthur Bothling, "Bismarck und Shakespeare." This shows Bismarck as a student at Gottingen writing affectionately of "old Shakespeare" and "my Shakespeare"; and later on, as a country gentleman in Pomerania, organising Shakspeare parties for the discussion of his works. In political dispatcheg to hi* intimates he often,' for purposes of secrecy, referred to well known contemporaries by such names as "Falstaff" (a numerous company in Germany), Romeo, Trinculo, and Fortinbras. After the Treaty of Gastein had brought Lauenburg, Kiel, and Sohleswig into Prussian possession, he suggested to General Manteuffel as they went to meet Wilhelm I. that they should greet him as the witches of Macbeth, "Hail! Thane of Lauenburg! Hail! Thane of Kiel! Hail! Thane of Schleswig!" As he grew old, and his political star declined, Bismarck often had the names of Lear and Coriolanus on his lips. The "British Review" for February contains an article,by Vance Palmer, in which he advances a number of' suggestions with regard to the probable effect of the war upon the future of the British Empire. One effect, he believes, will be the development of strong colonial navies. Egerton Beck explains, in nontechnical language, the provisions of the law as it affects the powers of military officers over civilians in time of war. J. Gabryg discusses "The Autonomy of Poland and Lithuania"; Paul Parsy describes the condition of France after six months of war. He abowit that while heavy drafts hare been made and cheerfully responded to by those who are liable for military service, the life of the community is getting back into its old channels: "There is no lack of provisions. Petrol for motors and commodities for household use are to be found in plenty, nor is there any increase in price, except in the case of sugar and certain kinds of meat. Indeed, there has been in certain quarters a considerable reduction in the price of poultry; chickens, and turkeys; and in places where, for example, a turkey fetched 15 francs during the fortnight preceding Christmas and its attendant festivities in 1013; it sold in 1914 for 6.50 or 7 francs," The writer describes, in. an interesting way, the effect of the war on trade and civil occupations, and explains the measures adopted for the relief of distress. Actors, the staffs of theatres, and the manufacturers and vendors of articles coming within the category of the term "luxuries" are the chief sufferers. .K. A. | Scott-James gives expression to some thoughts on ■the subject of "The Warrior Ideal," and Major G. W. Redway com* \ pletes the war budget with a continuation of his articles on "The True Story of the War." Incidental to the allabsorbing topic; is an article by Anna ! Sunston on "German Soldier Songs," and some spirited verses by Katharine Tynan on Louvain and Rheims. "The Reed Pond," by Eden Philpotts, and 'Tn Defence of the Farmer," by K. L. Kenrick, are the two other principal contributions. The January number of "Science Progress in the Twentieth Century," Mr. John Murray* valuable quarterly journal, covers, as usual, a very wide range. •In an article on "Militarism and Party Polities," the writer declares that "neither aggressive militarism nor party politics are found to the same extent throughout the world as in Germany and Britain, and anyone who is capable of independent thought must be convinced that they are both pathological manifestations—bad habits of nations —like alcoholism and sloth among individuals ! Neither is essential, either for autocratic or for popular government." lie hopes that "this war may have not one, but two effects; that it will not only diminish militarism, but the still meaner and viler spirit of self-service." H. G. Plimmer, FiR.S., reviews the theories advanced in T. A. Cook's book, " The Curves of Life," being an account of spiral formations and their application to growth in Nature, to Science, and to Art, with special reference to the manuscripts of Leonardi da Vinci. In "A Survey of the Problem of Vitalism," Hugh Elliot states that evolution has broken down the supposed division between man and animals, and that the progress of science threatens speedily to break down the division between the organic and the inorganic. He concisely states tie arguments by which , the vitalistic and mechanistic theories are supported. A very interesting illustrated article on "Ancient and Modern Dentistry" is contributed by Dr. C. E. Wallis. The writer shews that care of the teeth received attention from the earliest Greek physicians, and that excellent bridge work as a means of replacing lost teeth was carried out by ancient Etruscans. Further, that the inlaying of teeth with gold wa 8 a practice carried out by the ancient inhabitants of Mexico and iEcuador. Dealing with modern dentistry, he alludes to the reaction amongst medical men against ("gold bridges," on the ground that it is i impossible to perfectly cleanse them, and I they thus become hot-beds of microj organisms injurious to health. Among ! other articles in this issue are: "Ozone lin the Upper Atmosphere and the OpI tical Properties of the Sky," by Dr. J. N. Pring; "Colour Vision," by Dr. F. JW. Edridge-Green; "The International 'Struggle for Manufactures," by Rhys 'Jenkins; and of Co-opera-tion." The usual editorial Notes and 1 Reiviews 4! ««m various interesting [topics.