LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 290, 4 December 1920, Page 18

LITERARY.

More laughter, it is safe to say, has j sprung from the pen* of Mr. F. Antsey than has come from the inkpot of any other living writer. His books arc mines of the rich ore ot humour and humanity. Mr. Murrny is about to issue a cheap edition of "'A Fallen Idol"; a novel which has proved a true successor to "Vice Versa." I

The special feature." of discover}' for October are, first, an interesting paper by Mr. G. Callender on "Drake," in which he produces recently found evidence to prove that he "was not the corsair that he is usually considered, but a properly accredited leader of an expedition, with power of life and death Macpherson's article on the moon, over its members; and secondly, Rev. 11. in which he gives reasons for thinking that the popular belief that it is without life is probably incorrect. On the strictly scientific side tbe editor's notes on the British Association's doings and Einstein's the,ory and a technical account on "Wireless in Aircraft," by Mr. J. Brown, are notable.

Another interesting example of the enterprise of Australian authors and publishers in exploiting native subjects has reached us. in the shape of "Dot and the Kangaroo," by Ethel C. Pedley, with illustrations by Frank P. Mahony. It is a brightly-written story of a settler's small child who was lost in the bush and given up for dead. She had been befriended .by a kangaroo, and had 'been introduced to tho inhabitants of the bush. Xo doubt Miss Pedley owes something both to "Alice in Wonderland" and-"Tlie Jungle Book," but this does not make tlie working out of her clever idea less interesting. This should tie an acceptable book to children. The illustrations are fair. . Angus and Robertson are the publishers.

The latest in monthly magazines is one bearing the title "Outward Bound," and which th*; Oxford University Press are producing. The first issue is that of October. As far as a serial goes the periodical makes a good start with a new novel by John Buchan, entitled "The Path of a King." Judged on this first number the incention is to draw both matter and illustrations from the distant portions of the globe with special prominence to that land of romance —India. The contents are dressed in an attractive coloured cover, but generally speaking, the illustrations fall short of a satisfactory standard in their reproduction.

The old but always interesting theme of the clash between the manor on the one side and the village and the cottage on the other, is chosen by Mr. H. A. Vacbell for his latest novel "Whitewash." The lady of the manor does her duty in the old way, personally supervising her estate and ranking periodical gifts to her "people." She does not realise that the cottages are insanitary, and sees nothing wrong in allowing a labourer to bring up a large family on fifteen shillings a week. .She is a victim to the "whitewash" of the system. There comes to Upworthy a young doctor with Radical ideas, and the war supervenes to shake foundations of society and give men a clearer view of their rights and duties. The -book is dramatic, with an interesting love story, and the denouement is well done. Altogether a capably written novel of English country life, depicting a society that has many virtues, but whc—i doom is written. Casscll's are the publishers.

Mr. J. H. M. Aibbott, the well-known Australian journalist, has taken the bad old days of the 'forties for his stirring bushranging yarn "Castle Vane." In those days army discipline was as hard as it could be, squatters had gangs of convicts to work for them, and outlaws took to bushranging. The story opens with a fine young private in a regiment stationed in Sydney -being given the outrageous 6ctcnce of fifty lashes by a bad-tempered officer for having two buttons of bis tunic unfastened. He strikes the officer and bolts, and is beiriended by a Jew, w-ho directs the "Free Company," as his gang of bushrangers and other criminals is called. Tlie plot thickens when the young man's path again crosses that of the officer, who is now a squatter, and in peril of his life. Tllere is plenty of excitement, and a love interest that will appeal to many. The book, which seems to have a foundation in fact, shows signs of having been written in a hurry, but is especially interesting for the picture it gives of discreditable conditions in troublous times. Angus and Robertson are the publishers, and our copy comes through Wbitcom'be and Tombs.

A few weeks ago it was announced that the famous publishing business of Cassell's was likely to be sold to tho owners of a group of papers, including , the "Daily Graphic" and the "Sunday , Times." These had made an offer which the directors recommended should be , accepted. The founder of the firm, i John Cassell, born in Manchester, , started work in a cotton mill. Cassell ; opened his own printing office in the ; Strand' in, ,—4s, .and corn—eii-'dd [to issue a weekly paper, the 'Standard of • Freedom." Two years later he was • responsible for the penny weekly, the "Woijiing Man's Friend and Family • Instructor," and in 1853 the famcus . "Cassell's Popular Educator,"' of which , upwards of two million conies have been sold, was first published. The , firm was known as Cassell, Petter, . and Galpin until 18S3, when it w*as converted into a limited liabil'ty concern. , Almost every type of literature has been issued from the house of Cassell. One achievement was the issue of "Ca'ssell's Xational Library"' '(ISS6-90) under the editorship of Professor Henry Moriey, when 214 volumes were published at 3d each, a record in cheap reprints which, it is stated, has never • since been equalled. Nearly eight i millions have 'been sold. To Messrs. . Cassell belongs the honour of hay- '. ing introduced Stevenson to the novel-reading public. Sir A. T. Quiller i Couch's first book was issued from La ' Belle Sauvage, as was Haggard's, "King Solomon's Mines." and some of the best' works of J. M. Barrie, Stanley Weyman,| Max Pem'berton, Sir A. Conan Doyle,: Dr. Furnivall, Anthony Hope, Mrs. j Humphry Ward, Grant Allen. Myriads of quiet homes throughout the Empire (says the London "Daily J Telegraph") found their favourite read-i ing ''in "Cassell's Family Magazine,"'; and the once-famous "Quiver," while the children—the easily-pleased children of an unsophisticated age —took their delight in "Little Folks" and the vast body of illustrated juveline literature that bore the Cassell imprint. '_