FRESENT-DAY HUMORISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

FRESENT-DAY HUMORISTS.

In "John o , London's. Weekly" Mr W. Petfc Ridge, who is himself a humorist of fine quality, discusses sOme of the hew humorists: "There appears to be- no recipe for the making of a hiimoriat, and anybody who contended that heredity Was a factor would, I think, discover that the instance of Th&nms Hood auct Tom Hood stands alone,. A happy and exhilarating detail is that the s-ipply, never large, is steadily continuous. I cannot remember a period wheu one looked around and said, on oath, that there were no humorous writers coming along; Just now, the indications are particularly favourable. The ligntness of touch, the genial manner, the dexter ity, must strike any critic wliosj favourite recreation is. something oilier than carping. And I should be inclined to suy that the appetite for the cheerful printed word is keener than ever. A higher standard seems to be demanded, a certain amount of erudition wel corned." Mr. Pett Ridge refers to the work Of K V. IW ("Evoe"), A. V flerß'eft, Patrick Hamilton, I: W. Thomas, Denis Mackail and Ben Tftivcrs*, and calls attention to the numb6r of 'women humorists. "It may be added that humorous writers ,iave, likely enough, at the first persona: encounter, given more disappointment tlran riy other class of literary folk. '1 sat next to him at lunch/ declares a young woman, resentfully, 'and, I you, ho didn't amuse me in the least!' that is what comes of too much. When the morning iiouru Dave been occupied in setting lown =>n rap er diverting incidents, 'tiffin conversation at the mid-day ineals finds the r humorist inclined to .talk of the provoeati'/o art. of Mr. 'Epstein or , vegetarianism as a help to a pure and unsullied life. Conversely, when a notable comedian ft the theatre takes pen in hand,- the ■printed result, too often, creates httbnst. , inclaiicholy." ." '- ■. A .

Biologically, nothing fails like success; the ruling race rules itself out.—Dean Inge. Perhaps nothing is so marked about England as the absence of the American vices—except, indeed, the absence of the American virtues.—Mr. G. K. Chesterton. G'opiee of "The Secret Station," the lirat book by Ellersley Hall ("Peterkin," of 3YA, Christcliurcb) should reach New Zealand shortly. It is a boys' book and tells the experiences of two young radio enthusiasts who discovered .that an . unknown station was releasing a new and uncanny force which had a \ peculiar effect on all electrical equipment, i In reviewing the book on Edward Gibbon Wakefleld, by Miss Irma, O'Connor, of Auckland, the "Times Literary .Supplement" wrote very desparagingly of WakeJield. The reviewer described Wakefield as "an extreniely ill-informed doctrinaire." Dr. A. J. Harrop, also a New Zealander, and the author of an earlier biography of Wakelield, came 'forward in Miss O'Connor's defence with a strong letter to the "Times." This was not accepted, but it is published in the "New Zealand News." Dr. Harrop points out that in the "Times" review of his own book last year, Wakefield is praised as "probably the most efficient inspirer of organised migration within the Empire- that Britain has yet bred." "The tone adopted by your reviewer," says Dr. Harrop, "would almost make one think that it would be bettsr for young men to grow up as' amiable nonentities, writing more or less futile memoirs, than to grapple with the great problems of the day and blaze a trail for the future." This little encounter strengthens one's suspicion that English papers are not always sufficiently careful in their choice of reviewers for books about the Dominions.