LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 22

LITERARY.

A lady travelling in Greece, on being shown tie Acropolis, asked: "But where are the Four Horsemen J" From the "Humorist": Hooligan: Now, then, guv'nor, your money or your life, Eminent Person (producing book): Well, you can have uiy Life, but this is an advance copy! The University of Glasgow is to confer its LL.D. degree on Mr. Alfred X oyes in June. In the meantime, Mr. Noyes is revising the proofs of the fourth volume of his Collected Poems. It is unlikely that the last part of his trilogy, "The Torchbearers," will be ready before the end of the year. The author of "The Mystery of the Yellow Room," Gaston Leroux, died at Nice the other day. He began his career as a journalist and achieved fame and fortune through his famous "best seller." He had a genius for arresting titles.

"The Secret of the Night" and "The Perfume of the Lady in Black" are two admirable specimens.

Early, in September, Messrs. Benn are to publish Mr. H, G. Wells' new novel, "Meanwhile," in which it is said he has done for the coal dispute of last year what in "Mr. Britling Sees it Through" he did for the war. It is described by the publishers as a ruthless criticism of the Conservative Government and of Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Churchill in particular.

It is generally known that Mrs. L. Adams Beck, the writer of many successful "thrillers," is also '"E. Barrington," the author of something new in historical fiction. It is not, however, so well known that she is also "Louis Moresby," the detective-story writer. Messrs. Harrap are about to publish her 'Rubies," a Cornwall mystery story. Mrs. Beck's maiden name was Moresby, and her father was the Admiral Moresby who annexed New Guinea for England. She is at present holidaying in Kashmir.

Those who dance really well would be well advised to read "Modern Ball-, room Dancing," by Victor Silvester (Herbert Jenkins). It includes all the latest steps in the foxtrot, waltz, flat Charleston, the tango and other dances. They are described lucidly and in detail, and the exact movement of the feet is shown by carefully drawn illustrations. Mr. and Mrs. Victor Silvester were the winners of the World's Dancing Championship for a number of years, and have also won many other competitions that make them an authority on the way it should be done. Dancing is not merely spinning round the room as in the waltz or "stepping it out" as in the one-step; it is a combination of perfect timing and i rhythm, and an. absolute control of the i muscles.

"SHIPS AND SEALING WAX."

GEORGE A. BIRMINGHAM'S ESSAYS. The other evening the reviewer, dipping into "Alice Through the Looking Glass," came on the lines "Shoes and ships and fcealing wax, and cabbages and lpivs." He remembered that O. Henry had chosen "Cabbages and Kings" for one of his most brilliant books, and it occurred to him that "Ships and Sealing Wax" would also make a good title. A few days later there came * from*

Methuen and Co. a volume of papers by George A Birmingham, bearing his name. It is quite appropriate, for here Canon Hannay, which is his real name, discourses with touches of irresponsibility on a wide range of subjects. The reader reflects again that it is rather curious George A Birmingham should be in the Church. His attitude to some things is so unclerical, his wit so astringent, his philosophy so touched with cynicism. ] There is a good deal in common between Canon Hannay and Mr. Bernard Shaw. "There may be 6ome conferences which are useful," begins an essay in this book, "but I never came across one. Those! which I have attended have always been tiresome, and, adding up all the time 11 have spent at them, I feel sure that sixj months of my life have been wasted in that way. If I could get those six months back, or even three of them, I could have a glorious holiday without leaving any of my work undone." He also elaborates the theory that "organisation is one of the great evils of our time." The most serious essay is that dealing with human survival. Among this curious collection of essays, grave and gay, are some sketches of that Irish life .which Canon Hannay has depicted so vividly in his novels. "The Testimonial" is a slight comedy worthy of the authors of "The Irish R.M.," and in other pages we are given the delightful tang of western Irish baw that is a feature of "Spanish Qpld" and "The Inviolable Sanctuary "

LAD) UP IN LAVENDER.

The fragrance of Mr. Dion Calthrop's Diary of an Eighteenth-Century Garden" (Williams and Norgate) must, one thinks, owe something to Austin Dobson's poem "A Gentleman of the Old School." This diary is really chapters from the life of Dobson's type. He liked the well-wheel's creaking topjrue He liked the thrush that stopped and sung He liked tlie drone of flies among His netted peaches. He liked to watch the sunlight fall Athwart his ivied orchard wall: Or pause to catch tie cuckoo's call Beyond tte beeches. Mr. Calthrop's English gentleman is a bachelor with a passion for his country home and garden. He is busy with his bees; he notes gravely, many recipes for dishes and cures for ailments; and he thanks God for the good simple things of the world. A sweet sediment and a most kindly humour rim through the book. °

A- farmer s daughter once seemed to me the very spirit of all the Goddesses, so warm and comfortable was she and smelt of milk and sweet briar, but was a good girl and did aie no barm, yet when I pass a cat nayfield in the evening I think of her. And l should pass her by in the market now and not recognise her, nor she me, which is perhaps as well. Memory'is the mother of dead children. Bitter and sweet taste alike ?f,, years, and, though a young man tail of his promise, he can yet look back to s en breasted the high seas of an , d ** s not afraid. I set this ML the fiilent watches of the «K n S bis stndy mine is full of infrtfnrtu. 2 cro * d "boat me, hot not .■SB?S& X.S? 1 - m "■«

The weakness of the book is that it is more eighteenth-century than the eighteenth century; it has the imperfect perfection of an imitation. Yet its wealth of old-time atmosphere is a delight; the reader can smell the old flowers and herbs, and enter into this old life of smooth leisure. A, fragrant and wholesome book, to be dipped into now and again, especially after a long and .tiring day in town, ' ~