LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

LITERARY.

'"Speaking as an Irishman, I have found this England a country of forty million inhabitants, mostly lovable."— Mr. Conal O'Riordan, the Irish novelist. Will Mr. Bernard Shaw please note?

"The Englishman's fairy-tale is that the policeman is a fairy prince, a sort of knight-errant, clad in silver armour and caring only for chivalry and the protection of the weak: a Galahad whose chief function is helping blind men and old ladies across the road." —Mr. G. K. Chesterton.

"Max Crombie's" small handbook. "Secrets of Success in Public Speaking" (George Allen and Unwin), should set at rest the mind of any nervous aspirant for honours in oratory, for the secrets are: "Be natural, be yourself, know your subject, and don't shout."

Here is comfort for despondent "lowbrows." The late Lord Asquith was a very fine classical scholar, and a lover of English poetry. It was his delight on Sunday afternoons to take his Horace or his Euripides into his garden. He also, however —so it is stated in an appreciation written after his death— greatly enjoyed Mr. Wodehouse. We remember reading that during the war Mr. Asquith solaced himself with O. Henry. Wise man!

Dr. Alington, headmaster of Eton, in a speech at the Authors' Club dinner in February, suggested that, with certain exceptions, the public school novel was an impossibility. Other headmasters support him. Dr. Norwood, of Harrow, says that school novels are written either by boys with grievances or by elderly people who have forgotten a great deal. In neither case are they true, and if they are true they are dull. "There are many entertaining and funny books on school life, of course. H. A. Vachell has written a good book on Harrow, calling it 'The Hill.' But it is very sentimental. The worst novels about schools have been written by headmasters."

An English village has offered material for most of England's great novelists. There the stage is small, the life concentrated and compact. Vera Wheatley in "The Enchanting Danger" has made good use of this, and written a story the power of which is displayed in the emotions of her characters rather than in the plot—which is not necessarily connected with the locality chosen. Two other novels by the authoress have been published by Messrs. Methuen (who issue this one), and whatever the success of those others "The Enchanting Danger" should be assured of many readers. The youth who attempts to console himself with the nearest available affection because the girl he loves has given herself elsewhere, is always a pathetic figure, and the uncontrollable quality of real love in both sexes, although no longer admitted by modern flapperdom, goes into the making of many an unadmitted tragedy. We wish Miss Wheatley had suggested a manner of escape from the love toils she so cleverly portrays.

THE GREAT QUEEN. VICTORIA'S AMAZING LETTERS. Perusal of "The Letters of Queen Victoria, Second Series, Volume 111., 1879-1885," which Mr. John Murray has issued in the handsome dress given to earlier volumes, shows that the sensation caused in England was justified. Even hard-shelled Tories were disturbed by some of these revelations. The book is extraordinarily interesting. It covers the period in history marked by the assassination of the English Mission to Kabul, the death of the Prince Imperial while serving in South Africa, the intervention in Egypt and the death of Gordon, the defeat at Majuba and the peace with the Boers, and Mr. Gladstone's conversion to Home Rule. It reveals the Queen in her maturity, highly prejudiced, clearheaded and direct, knowing exactly what she wanted, determined not to be a cypher in politics and insistent that the prestige and interests of Britain shall be upheld. In these letters she speaks her mind on domestic and foreign affairs with extraordinary frankness. Some public men she disliked intensely and said so. In 1879 she wrote that she never could take Mr. Gladstone again jas her Minister, for she never could "have the slightest particle of confidence" in him after "his violent, mischievous and dangerous conduct for the last three years." Likewise, she could never accept (Sir Charles Dilke.' Alas, she had to accept both. The strength of her personality comes out strongly, but despite that strength and the august nature of her office her Ministers stood up to her. Lord Hartington protested against her congratulating a victorious general direct instead of through him, as Minister of War, and she replied that she had always telegraphed direct to her generals, and always would do so, and considered Lord Hartington's letter very officious and impertinent in tone. "The Queen has a right to telegraph congratulations, inquiries, etc., to anyone, and won't stand dictation. She won't be a machine. But the Liberals always wish to make her feel that and she won't accept it."

_ Victoria considered that she was "as sincerely liberal in her views for the improvement of her Empire as anyone can be," but slie could not and would not "be the Queen of a democratic monarchy." She insisted upon being informed of everything and tried hard to influence policy. Of her industry and unswerving sense of duty there is ample proof here. But if she was liberal, she was certainly not a Liberal. That party she disliked strongly, perhaps even hated. Disraeli was her ideal, and he flattered her to the point (with the reader) of nausea. That she should not have seen through it is astonishing. We find him writing to her, when in Opposition, as "Madam and mostbeloved Sovereign," whose ''dear hand writing" had made him very happy. Victoria wrote to him about politics when he was out of office, and he did not scruple to advise the Queen as though he were still Prime Minister. Victoria even went so far as to write to Lord *Wolseley, who commanded the forces in Egypt, urging him to take a strong line against the Government. It seems doubtful whether these letters ■/ill enhance the Queen's reputation. One of the ablest of present-day English publishers, reviewing the book, says that "her whole conception of the functions of the Crown was, despite some liberal tendencies, more nearly akin to that of her grandfather than to that of her grandson." Perhaps she provided a necessary transitional stage. At any rate, these letters show her to have been a very remarkable woman and Queen, and the light they throw on politics is i searching.

Mr. George A. Macmillan, of the great publishing house, has given, through the "Sunday Times," the text of the letter in which his father, Alexander Macmillan, gave reasons to the young author, Thomas Hardy, for turning down his first novel, "The Poor Man and the Lady," reference to which was made recently in these columns. Impatient young writers often declare that publishers and editors are really not interested in good stuff; they should read the thousand words of close-knit criticism in which Alexander Macmillan set forth his views. The gist of the matter was that, while Hardy's peasants were excellent, his pictures of society life in London were extravagant and his indignation against the idle rich excessive. All this the publisher set forth in detail, concluding: "I am writing to you as a writer who seems to me, at least potentially, of considerable mark, of power and purpose. If this is your first book I think you ought to go on." Macmillan's came to be Hardy's publishers.

"On Love" sounds a little trite considering how many thousands of novels appear yearly with this subject as foundation, but this treatise by the famous French novelist, "Stendhal" (Chatto and Windus), translated by Vyvyan Holland, is stated to be a view of love from the scientific and romantic point of view, compiled from notes collected over a period of years of personal observation in many countries. English love is studied from hearsay, a 9 the author seems to have been shut out from observation by the rigid modesty of the women and the shyness of the men. The subject is treated fully and with a frankness which may surprise a great many English readers. It is a book for men rather than women, as much of it is philosophical. The author concludes that love, enduring love, is exceptional, and that with most women marriage is considered to terminate romance. There are three separate prefaces, and in one the author anticipates that the book will have but few readers, "for it will lead you to suspect that there is a form of happiness unknown to you." In many cases, indeed in most, thinks the author, virtue is the result of fear. There is no excess of humour or of tragedy in this volume. You are supposed to be a student prepared for serious thought, for your own good and the good of others. It is no book for triflers, nor for the uneducated. "On Love" is issued in attractive format, uniform with other works by this novelist, of whom so good a judge as Mr. Lytton Strachey says that "it would be difficult to point to a figure at once so important, so remarkable, and so little known to English readers." His real name was Henri Beyle, and he died in Paris in 1542.

AMONG THE ARABS. A book of travel is usually a volume of rather solid descriptive writing, and to have one filled with legends, stories, and bright, amusing conversation is a welcome novelty. Mr. Fulanain, in "Haji Rikkan" (Chatto and Windus), during years around and about the Tigris, has collected a mass of interesting material of this kind. Iraq is—as a name—familiar enough to newspaper readers, and the Arabs have not, as a rule, been presented to us in a favourable light. Their disregard for truth, honesty, and the value of • life has overshadowed their good qualities, amongst which hospitality stands first. Their women, it seems, must be virtuous or die; their men must be faithful to their particular tribe, or die, and the 3,000,000 acres of navigable reed-grown swamp which forms the home of the mars]) Arabs is not large enough to conceal an offender against tribal law, for an offence once committed remains punishable for life. Sanctuary with an alien tribe may be availed ofj but then the offender seeking shelter makes that tribe vicariously responsible for his sin —a most awkward arrangement. As a love poet the Arab is contemporary with the Song of Solomon.

. . . Stricken am I, Now that thy cheeks, like apple-blossom fair, or flower of pomegranate, are far away. So tender are thy slender shoulders, sweet. That even the lightest silken veil would bruise. And chafe the skin of my most lovely one.

Fourteen thy days, O lovelv moon at fullFourteen the years of rav gazelle-eyed love : Yet brighter far her face, more beautiful Two red lips hast thou not, O moon above Thou hast not teeth like whitest pearls arrayed, Nor braided plaits like those which deck my love.

And these ladies can use a dagger, or take the point of one, with indifference. If, as a critic, one should seek a fault,, it is that the accompanying pliotograplis do not "go" suitably with the letterpress. They lack appropriateness and life and personality.

THE SALE OF BOOKS. Says Sir Ernest Benn, the publisher: "Thirty books are written for every one that is published. Out of every three books published two are failures. Therefore 90 books are written to produce one. There are 12,000 books ou an average published in this country every year. There are, so the census tell fts, 11,000 booksellers. If you agree that the booksellers on the average have two assistants apiece, it takes three men a full year to sell each book that is published. We as a nation have a book trade worth six millions a year. Let me give you another figure or two. Beer, wines, and spirits, 315 millions, tobacco 180 millions, milk 76 millions, bread 80 millions. Suppose that every family in the laud were to spend the modest sum of £10 per year on books; you would then have a trade of UU millions, or 15 times as many books as we have to-day. If every family bought a book each week vou would have an output of books of 450 millions per annum. Far too little, if, indeed, anything serious, has been done in marketing books on the instalment plan. I see no reason why a young couple starting out in life, who think it right and proper to put a couple of hundred pounds worth of furniture into the home and pay for it on the instalment plan, should not also add £20 or £25 worth of books."

BOOKS RECEIVED. "HsJi Rikkan » b y Fuianain; "On Love" by Stendhal" (Chatjto and Windus). "A Question of Love," by F. E Pennv"The Poor Gentleman,'' bv lan Hav : "The Light Beyond " by Phllllps Oppenheim; "The Devil'# Mantle," by Frank Packard; "Should Such a Faith Offend?" by the Bishop of Birmingham (Hodder and Stoughton). "The Enchanting Danger," by Vera "Wheat - ley (Metbuen). "The Secret of Buccess in Publio Speaking," by Max Crombie; "The Borgiae" by Giuseppe Portigrliotte; "The Anglican Communion," by Bishop Mooriiouse"What Botany Really Means" (Alien and Unwin). "The Protagonists," by Donald Sinderby; "Driftwood Spars" and "Father Gregory," by P. C. Wrea (John Murray).

New Zealand will see a British Rugby team playing one day—by means of television. After a cricket test with tthe Australians the thoughts of all New Zcalenders turn naturally to football.

"My fighting days are over," says Jack Dempsey. Even when he was champion his fighting days were few and far between, so perhaps he won't notice the difference.

Perhaps it is significant tihat the National Industrial Conference, which is much concerned about the arbitration system, had to appoint an arbitral committee to select its own chairman.

A Supreme Court judge remarked, plaintively, that he had "no power to make a witness more intelligent than he really is." It may not be within the powers of a mere judge, but it can be clone by correspondence, in ten lessons. Just sigu along the dotted line.

"Three minutes was the average time required to get a light a hundred years ago, with flint and steel." There is at least this to be said for the old method: A man looking for the leak in the gas pipe could not easily strike a light to help him to find it.

If the practice of suppressing froon publication tiie names of convicted persons goes much further, a select number of the prisoners in New Zealand gaols will become very proud, and will "lord it over" their fellow-prisoners. Their boast will be that they "thev got their names in the papers."

Residents of a part of Remuera held an indignation meeting this week, when it was asserted that tthe neighbourhood was infested with rats, and mosquitos were also causing much annoyance. This is a oase for the attention of the insecttrainers of the Cawthron Institute. Oould not tihe mosquitoes be'incited to attack the rats ?

Tom Hecneyis "putting New Zealand on the map," saye mjt sporting writers. One highly-coloured American pajHir, paying tribute to tihe Gisborne man's prowess, refers to him in one paragraph as "the New Zealander," and in the next as "the Australian." It seems that New Zealand is being put on the wrong map.

Speaking of the proposal to establish a hospital in the Solomon Islands, a visiting missionary said it had been suggested that a good location for the hospital would be the island of Mala, "where the murders took place last year." This suggestion has a practical Bound, but shouldn't a morgue precede the hospital?

"Finally," says the Auckland Electric Power Board, in a circular to its customers, "it should be noted that all officers of the board csury badgers and letters of authority, and when in doubt consumers nre asked to saitasfy themselves as to the bona fides of the boards representatives." 1 tihink the letter of authority is sujxjrfluous, iprovided the badger is at hand. Rut, in any event, the free citizens of Auckland will refuse to be badgered.

The Auckland Hwvlth Officer, home from India, relates that he witnessed a religious festival. "It was only a small affair, since only 200,000 pilgrims participated. .. . Sometimes as manv as 8,000,000 take part!" This piece of information might well be broadcasted, for I am sure many Now Zealanders t/hink that enormous gatherings take place only for a Rugby matoh or a cup meeting. r

One of Canada's greatest problems is the American frontier. Young Canadians cross it, and usually don't return Last week we read that the Canadian policy of not accepting titles or other honours which the King confers mio-ht be reversed. Is this a subtle method"of dealing with the population problem. If knighthoods are to be conferred on Canadians once more, perhaps the population drift will be northward instead of south.

A study in metaphors, from the reflections of a Cabinet Minister: "Fallnig markets and rising costs have, during the past year, made the outlook very gloomy, but I believe a brighter star is rising. "We have touched bottom and things are improving, but whatever hapjwns we will not repudiate our debts. . No strong evidence is wanting we have rounded the corner." Well whatever our state is now, it seems that our life last year was full of movement. „

POLITICS AND MUSIC. The first touch of gaiety in the American Presidential campaign comes with the announcement that a committee of noted musical artists, headed by the prima donna Galli-Curci, has been formed to support the candidacy of Mr. Hoover."—Cable item. Hark, the politician comes! Blow the bujjles ! Beat the drums' Sound the pibroch! Clash the brass" i-et the budding statesman pass. On the beat now—round and full ■Sound the honours musical, the wave of rolling sound In fortissimos profound. Indicate with tuneful notes How we ought to "Vote for Coates."

Hush, lie speaks! Now— sweet and low! riddles —pianissimo! Silence, cornets, please be mute While he plays his little flute! J-et the wood-winds breathe desire he twangs his vivid lyre, tilling in some dinky "run" \Yhen he's getting something done! Jout should captieus critics carp. Then let psaltery and harp, saxophone and dulcimer, Help the voices that demur As some cheeky Labour cuss mres to mention "motor-bus." • S-ssh! Such noises jar: Sound the loud tarantara!

Thns, with all the vim of jazz, Music shows what charm it has in composing monologues 4., vi11 I'. leaß e the under-dogs; * 8kll ?ed musicians try iunes to suit vox populi, M ry _i" " use the b °ot" Wak£. thJ 1 the lute" i orchestra feel bored with the leader "off the chord " Who'fl ha ld thßy get out of Wbo 11 be game to «*»at the band"? —12. A.