THE BOOKSHELF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BOOKSHELF.

NEWS AND REVIEWS. A NOTABLE NOVEL. THE NOBEL PRIZE. On page one "Cyrano" reviews "The Mugwumps and the Labour Party," a bright and acute analysis of the difficulties that beset the British Labour party. Worry is interest paid on trouble before it falls due. —Dean Inge.

It seems fairly certain that women are not going to outstrip men, or even to equal them, in the fields in which men are certainly successful. —Mr. H. G. Wells.

" THE FOUNTAIN."

A NOTABLE ENGLISH NOVEL. Some time ago there was published in "Portrait in a Mirror," a remarkable novel of English life. At step the author, who is a London journalist, reached high rank in his craft by the subtlety of his analysis and the beauty of his writing. Mr. Charles Morgan's new book, "The Fountain" (Macmillan) will increase his reputation. It may not be so perfect as a work of art, but its aim is more ambitious, and its scope wider, its philosophic content is deeper and more satisfying, and the power of the writing shows itself in longer and nobler flights. It is a story of an Englishplan who seeks a retreat from the world so that he may study the contemplative life, but finds himself'drawn into love and the conflict between passion and duty. Lewis Alison, a London publisher, is interned in Holland at the beginning of the war with other British officers, and at first is quartered in a fort, where lie begins his studies, and if tho_ book were to end there it would still be remarkable for its serene beauty and intellectual force. Rarely is philosophy made so readable or woven so skilfully into everyday life. Alison moves on to be the guest at a castle of a famous Dutch family, where he is given the run of an old library and family archives. But the baron's stepdaughter is a beautiful and lovable English girl, whom Alison had known when she was a child in England. She is married to a young German nobleman whom she likes but does not love, and he is fighting. -The two fall in love, _ and Mr. Morgan describes their yielding so sympathetically that the quadruple treachery (for each had a double duty to serve) will not greatly trouble the reader. Then the husband comes to the castle, physically wrecked by war and probably dying. He is a gentleman and a scholar, with the 6ame tastes as Alison, and he doe 3 not see why they should not meet. The Englishman, is an enemy, it is true, but are they not both students of Plato ? So the two become friends, and discuss the subjects nearest their To Julie, however, the situation is agonising. Her husband loves her devotedly, and she sees how, in his suffering, he regards her as the whole world and from his love strengthens his will to live. Contact with him is abhorrent to her, but she schools herself to bo a dutiful and devoted wife. He learns the truth, and she knows that he knows, and she realises that the knowledge is weakening his hold on life. Oil his deathbed the German hears their confession and joins their hands in betrothaL The tragedy is told with power and extraordinary sympathy, and one feels that it is inevitable and that out of it come spiritual discovery and strength. One should be grateful to Mr. Morgan for creating these three characters for our delight. There is a great deal of matter in this long novel which, though of relatively minor importance, is of unusual interest, such as the clear portrait of the Dutch landed magnate, the atmosphere of Dutch domestic life, and the landscapes painted in lovely prose. Moreover, it is a war novel without war passion. One or two criticisms may be Though every page contains something well worth. reading, the story might have gained by being shortened somewhat; the philosophic discussions are arresting and stimulating in their sholarship and wisdom, but' perhaps their weight is a little excessivtf. Further, Mr. Morgan now and then follows too closely the fashion of over-elaboration of physical detail. But "The Fountain" is a very distinguished and moving piece of work.

AUSTRALIAN A. THE GREAT BRIDGE. Sydney has opened its great bridge, and, in spite of the world depression and hard times at home, has gone in its millions to applaud what will be a great public heritage. To hand down to posterity some of its beauties and to bring before the public some of the history enwrapped round its feet, the Art in Australia" proprietary have issued a special edition in grey and silver and blue of Sydney bridge celebrations. The magazine is beautifully illustrated with photographs, historical drawings and reproductions of well-known paintings of the glories of the great harbour, both before the bridge was built and now that it rears its graceful lines right above the city's marts. Wherever the visitor goes in the city, he can he sure that he will get a glimpse of the massive structure, which, in its great pylons and flying curves, but adds a greater beauty to what was already one of the world's beauty spots. All this is here reproduced as a souvenir, which should be on the shelves of every lover of beautiful Australia.

"Lasseter's Last Ride," an epic of gold discovery in Central Australia, which we had the pleasure of praising when it appeared last year, has gone into five editions since September. A new edition of Mr. lon L. Idriess' moving story of real adventure has been issued by Angus and Robertson. It contains extracts from Lasseter's recently-discov-ered diary, and many additional illustrations.

We have received the February number of "Art in Australia," which, as usual, is beautifully produced. It contains some fine colour plates; the frontispiece, Richmond Bridge, Tasmania, by R. J. Eldershaw, showing how modern treatment can be applied to local conditions. There are various other coloured plates and some fine wood cuts by Lionel Lindsay, as well as black and white reproductions of the entries of portraits for the Archibald prize, which all show a great advance on any other previous exhibition for the same competition. Articles are contributed by Lionel Lindsay, on the Streeton loan collections, on art in Melbourne, by Basil Burdett, on Lionel Lindsay's woodcuts by J. S. Macdonald, and on the pencil drawings of Lloyd Rees, by Sydney Ure Smth.

UPTON SINCLAIR.

NOBEL PRIZE CANDIDATE. There is an international "drive" in favour of Upton Sinclair, the famous American Socialist novelist, getting the Nobel Prize for literature. Petitions to this end are being sent to the Swedish Academy. Tho English signatories include Mr. Bernard Shaw, Mr. Bertrand Russell, Mr. Maurice Baring and Mr. Laurence Housman. Signatures have been obtained in many other foreign countries, including Soviet Russia, where Mr. Sinclair's works are perennial bestsellers. It is recalled that eight years ago Mr. Upton Sinclair drew scorn upon American University professors in a book called 'The Goose Step.'_ Now a goodly number of them have signed the petition nominating him for the Nobel Prize. He is the author of some forty volumes and his books have been translated into thirty languages.

JEAN DEVANNY'S LATEST.

In choosing "Poor Swine" for her latest novel' (Duckworth) Mrs. Devanny has named it well and truly. Unfortunately for its success, although fortunately for humanity at large, the number of people who wish to read of swine and their wallowing is strictly limited. Those of this fraternity will enjoy the book. The story is that of a young girl who possesses great muscial talent and a charm so constantly insisted on that it never carries conviction. Her sordid married life, with its endless love affairs and her musical ambition, form the theme of the novel. The scene is laid in the South Island of New Zealand—a compliment which that part of the world is not likely to appreciate. Mrs. Devanny is obviously in revolt against the "wornout traditions" of marriage and morality. At least she wages war boldly, and' she possesses certain _ weapons—an assured style, undoubted gifts of characterisation (always of the unpleasant order), and an occasional picturesque power of description. It would take much more than these to persuade the average reader to condone such a book — some artistry, true realism, a gleam of vision. These are conspicuously absent. Her men, all of the primitive type of cave-man, occasionally approximate to reality, but Lilian never comes to life, a fact for which wo may devoutly give thanks.

OTHER NOVELS.

DOCTORS' DILEMMAS. Mrs. H. Dudney's idea of a country doctor's life in England is embodied in "The Treasure Field" (Collins), but she places him in the midst of a number of eccentric people and makes him egotistical and somewhat mentally unbalanced. His love affairs are allowed to overshadow his professional duties, whereas normally a doctor is always able, when in health, to subdue everything to professional needs, which is why drinking, doping, dissipated doctors are neglected by the public and pitied by their colleagues. Mrs. Dudeney's "Dr. Fenner" is unattractive as a doctor except to his friends and relations, who can overlook his quaintness and lack of repose. Desiring adventure and a soldier's life, he is not wholly engrossed by his profession, and has a horror of blood, the sight of which causes him to become unconscious at times, these attacks being more like epilepsy than simple syncope. His love is for a girl who has the beauty de diable, is a modern "vamp" and has already lived with a man who takes drugs and from whom she is not able to escape whenever ho calls her. This young woman is frank to a fault, and marries a wealthy man of steady, upright character and a friend of the blood-fearing doctor. The authoress stresses the difficulties of a family who have secrets and are unable, by means of well-conceived untruths, to keep their in ignorance of their "private" affairs. The social complications brought about by drink and drugs and illicit love are well drawn. Thehre is no gleam of conscious humour, no "comic" relief in this powerfully written English tragedy of defeated hopes and irregular living.

Those who can enjoy good cigars and luxurious meals vicariously will like " Moran Chambers Smiled," by _E. Phillips Oppenheim, apart from _ its merits as a story. Mr. Oppenheim's story of a betrayal and a revenge reeks of good living to the extent of being a little cloying. The tale is of a Levantine financier who in the witness-box went back on an associate in the dock. The prisoner smiled and his betrayer left the Court in a condition of fear that events justified, for the smiler escaped from gaol and proceeded to ruin him. It is a readable story of high finance told with Mr. Oppenheim's well-known skill, but one would like it better if there were one man or woman in the whole crew that one could admire. Hodder and Stoughton are the publishers.

We suppose that the novelist is free to choose the life of a girl in a house of ill-fame as a subject, and if you object to this it can be ignored. Mr. Rhys Davies, in "Count Your Blessings" (Putnam), is more French than Welsh in his realism. The miners of Wales were once well known for their strictly religious ideas and Nonconformist Puritanism. Mr. Davies exaggerates this ad absurdum, and tells us of the reaction in the newer generation, which he represents as wholly licentious. One is compelled to acknowledge the skill and power with which Mr. Davies has written and his ruthless analysis of character and emotion, but there is an unnecessary striving after frankness. Someone said, "There is a rubbish heap at the end of most gardens, but we don't spend all our time in contemplation there."

BOOKS RECEIVED.

Art in Australia, February number; Sydney Bridge Celebrations, 1932 (Art in Australia, Ltd.). Scientific Riddles, by Professor Sir J. A. Thomson (Williams and Norg-ate). Flynn of the Inland, by I. L. Idrless (Angrus and Robertson). Sartoris, by William Faulkner (Chatto and Windus). Count Your Blessings, by Rhys Davles (Putnam). These Beautiful Women, by Bartlett Adamson (Sydrieysider Co.). Thermonic Vacuum Tubes, by E. V. Appleton; The Household From A to Z, by E. E. Jardlr.e (Methuen). Credit and Currency Control, by D. B. Copland (Melbourne University Press). The Fountain, by Charles Morgran (Macmillan). Public Schools, by L. B. Pekin; The Memorial, by Chris. Isherwood; The Mugwumps and the Labour Party, by G. T. Garratt; O, Providence, by John Harnpson (Hog-arth Press). The Quest of the Vanishing Star, by R. Ladline; The Prince of Spies, by G. Davidson; The Borgia Cabinet, by J. S. Fletcher; The Second Adventure, by Lillian Clifford; Midnight Love, iby Sydney Horler (Herbert Jenkins).