NEW BOORS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 12

NEW BOORS.

"John Rutherford, the-' M'hite. .Chief. A , . .' -Story of Adventure " in" New " Zealand." ' . ;- Edited by 'James '< Drummond, F.L.S., . V.P.Z.S. AVhitcombo and Tombs, Ltd; ; 3s- 6.-1. . V\ Alexander cast upon an uninhabited island, lived thero four yettrs aiid four months, and after his return to-England handed his papers to Daniel Defoo, who mado : them into "an. immortal 'romanco. John llutherford, a; hundred:years later, .was captured by Maofisj lived.,with them as a tattooed 1 chief for ten years,:,and after getting back to.Eiigl&nd gave his journal to "a great publisher;; who. handed it to an ablo author —but no ' infmortal romance ensued. ■Professor Georgo Lillie Craik was one of tho writers of " The Library of Enetertaining Knowledge," which litis published by Charles Knight, tor tho'Society for the Dilfusion of Useful Knowledge, which had been founded by Lord Brougham. /" The Now Zealanders " was tho second volume issued under these 'respectable auspices, and : it was the .first - book devoted oxclusivoly tb telling all that was Known about tho Maoris;- It was-pub-lished'in 1830. After a ,few chapters drawn froni other sources, Craik introduces Rutherford's narrative, the "story told by an igiior rant sailor of his ton years' wanderings, sufferings, and adventures primitive Maoris, and written down «by-a friend from his diotation. But " Craik uses tho manuscript, in his own way. Sometimes ho quotes ■it,, sometimes ho ; paraphrases it, and ho interpolates quantities of information relating moro or less closely to tho Maoris. Tho result is a little of Ruthorford and a great ileal of Entertaining Knowledge. Mr. James Drummond, commissioned by Messrs. Whitcombo and Tombs, has taken Rutherford's story, as edited by Craik, and mado a separate book of it. Ho states'in his introduction that liis first intention was to confine himself strictly to Itutborford's narrative, but ho decidcd on reading " Tho Now Zealanders" , again to include soino of. the matter added by Craik. Ho would havo produced a bettor,, though a mucli smaller, book if he had omitted all tho Useful and Entertaining 'Knowledge, and .simply lot Rutherford toll his story. Instead of that, Rutherford's adventures arc interrupted and overwhelmed by quotations from Cool:, Marsdon, Nicholas, and Cmiso, ami disquisitions from the pen of Craik. In-tho first chapter, after thirteen pages of Rutherford, wo leave in'm declining a helping of roasted fellow-sailor and fearing that, his own body will bo tho next for tlio oven, _ and are invited to read a discourso oil cannibalism running into fourteen ]>agcs, and including a long lottor from Sir Stamford Raffles to William Marsden about man-eating- in Sumatra; Chanter II consists of a pago and'a quarter of. Rutherford and oightoen pages of Entertaining

Knowledgo. Tlio last chapter lias seven pagos of tlio story and nine and a, lialf pages of Craik's additions, wliilo tlio Inst but one is devoted entirely to'tlio diffusion of Entertaining Knowledge. And-this after Mr.Driunmond lias carefully informed us_ that . ; Craik, as ail authority oil tho Maoris, .is quite out of date. It goes without saying that Mr., Druimii'ond,-'asj a; ■ journalist. and an" author, realises that this is not tlio best way to present a story of adventure, and it would bo idlo to inquire why ho did it. Of courso, the root of tlio troublo was that it was Charles Knight, and 'not Daniel Dofoo, or anybody like linn, who struck up acquaintance with tlio tattooed sailor-man wheri' he was being exhibited in London. But, oven as it, stands, tlio book is interesting all through. Mr. Drummond's introduction is admirablo, his notes aro-of tlio right sort, and tho paper and printing aro very good. "Tho Mail Who was Thursday." By G. K. Chesterton. London: T. Fisher Unwin. ; (Colonial Library^) Pooplo havo learned to look forward with eagerness to every now boOk by Mr. Chesterton. Whatever vices ho may have, whatever dreadful opinions lie may . hold, ho always writes brilliantly, and ho is never dull. .Tlio mere suggestion that ho could' bo dull is plainly absurd. In "The Man Who was Thursday: A NightmareV lie has produced a book that falls into 1 none.of tho ordinary, classes of literature. It merely goos into tho pigeon-holo labelled " Chesterton." To describe this stdry is 'as difficult, even if it were, worth while, as to summarise the plot of "Alico in Wonderland/', • In order to destroy l the forces of philosophical anar.chism controlled by a. council of seven men known Sundays Monday, Tuesday, and the. rest, there Has been organised'a corp'of philosophic pofico. .'Ono of theso becomes elected to the council,Zand in a mad liarlequinado of events it is discovered that all the members of t-he council are of tho detectivo force.,: .The. book is a blend of Stevenson's " Now - Arabian -Nights with " Alice in Wonderland," done in' the Cliqs.tbrtonian'manner.: For , tho most part tho conversations aro ' moro ; whirls of dazzling absurdity, flashing 'witli paradox and epigram. Tho'/author's l iritontion 'is obscure enough, for if ho is merely bdncerned wit-h an exposure of the..follies of anarchism lie misses his- mark.- -; It is .best not ,to .ioe'r for a moral or, for instniction-in this brilliant farce, but only for cntortwnment; which, is'thero. in abundanoo. ( 'Mr./Che'stertori bably..-wr6to tho '.boot-.'!morely to 'get rid-.of some of tho/surplus of .his ■ measureless energy. To those who knwV'.hinV.tho/ohief pleasure of the .'book ,'will bo tho/discovery of a new character in the authors style. As a writer of unusual tersoness-and lucidity, and a master -of;;'pithy., and illuminating paradox and per'suasiyelogic, Mr; Chesterton is .known, to everybody. As-' a poet ho ; is known only to a few." It is the poetry that gleftrs. and . shines oven in - the midst; of his most, rapid narrative.' that: one -remembers longest. Sudden ,grave phrases, of arresting fitness and beauty are tnicldy: strowri in- the pages of his/breathless story: sometimes •so thickly : strown as to form .the whole texturo of.-his prosd; and always they.are-so simplo and so inevitable that they pass unnoticed for a m'omentj. jiitil. .tho shining of. their afterglow sends ono back to ' look for tho source of the light. ./' ■'.- .-■ . -.' "Tho Anchorage.- The Story "of a New Zealand Sheep Farm." , By W. H. Koebel. v Loudon:. George Bell and Sons.' . ■...-■■■■/ , ' Before Ronald Gaverton passively allowed himself. to bo shipped to New. Zealand 1 by 1 '■ an ucquaintoiioo 'who, did not want to soe any more of him, ho ; had sunk from.a Devonshire .country (house, to -a , London/slum.,' His better self began :to ' reappear' voyage, i and & promise' to: go - up, country anil get; tfork>, was the turning point. -. 'fhenj in the author's not vory correct'or happy-figure ,'of'spoeoli, the chrysalis becomes a moth and tlio moth a butterfly/ Translated, this means thn't Cavcrfcon .is changed* by means of liard work, good mateship,' and ;a woman's eyes,' from a-wastrel to a hero, of romance. Then follow, the adventures; proper.'to such a hero —hairbreadth 1 , .escapes, gallant . rescues, /and deadly combats—all leading : to the inevitable; happy ending.' Tho story :has : no special power, or distinction',:but it/is, well' aiid; simply, told.. Allowing for,'.the air of romance, tne, local colour-is true,'.- and:- most'; ofVthe characters are acceptable'as New Zealand types; "TheAnchoragewill I 'givo..its. readers a.-fairly correct notion .of nature and human nature as'they' aro' to be/observed on sheep farms ■ill the'Gisborno district, and as : " something'.to.readV.it can bo recommended. ■/'■,"; : ' - V' .-V\' "Dr.' Burton's Success,"; by Archibald C. /.; Gunter. Publishers, Ward, Lock and Co., .. Ltd./ London. '' 3s.';6d. s (S.,'and.,W; : •Mackay.) ', :• ■ . .The .reputation ofthe clever author .of: "Mi-. (Barnes of New York" will hardly.be increased or diminished by this volume of- defective /stories, 1 published -'after his death',' The five stories are fairly,thrilling and entertaining;. .but/they aro. far from'-works'-of-'art.. The supposed narrator, Dr:<"Stohl- is'a'goo'd deal-more Obtuse than-is necessary to supply 'a foil - for 'tho-,'cleverness -t.of-' his .'assistant, Dr. Burton, -tho : ingenious amateur detective of:tho.stories,: -It'is';annoying.to liava the [narrator deeply: • fogged,y-.andi' marvollirig at tho; mysterious actions;/of,.tho 1 crime discoverer, 1 long;',after;.:the ; ;-'reader's mind has' jumped to J)ho;positiori.... Also it argues men■tal: poverty in,'the' celebrated: surgeon, Stohl,' to find liim .in every story calling his assist-, .ant "this<young Esculapius," and one tires too of.-the. 1 incessant V: 'sacred Hippocratic i?®th>" with '.which 'both .'doctors play''some curious 'tricks,, For. readers-' hdt concerned with style, however, tho 1 antics of the: lunatic in the first story who thinks that 'he is Rockefeller, and who quickly incapacitates the villain. when -Burton, introduces him as the editor of "Everybody's will afford' real'diversion, and the frustration, .in another ■falo, pf a, plot to assassinate. President Rosevolt_ does' not. lack excitement. The. other . stories. are■ entirely readable. ' Our .copy :is from Messrs. S. and W. Mackay. '. >■ !;' "Father Alphonstis.'A by "H. A. Hinkson, TJnwin's Colonial Library, I. The story of two men., destined for the Roman Catholic priesthood cach of whom'for tho lovo of a woman I ,'returns to the world; one on tho very eve of ; his ordination, theother, when as an,ordained'priest he bas-be-come an eminent preacher and rigid moralist. '• Similar stories liavo been told with much unpleasant detail; this is quite simplo and innocuous, and though Father Alphonsus 4 himself is an irritating person ,to meet, tho other "spoilt priest, ,T and two Or three of tlio min.or characters are sufficiently well drawn to caqy the talo along in a readable man--'ner. "' ; ••'■'. . • "The Call of ■ the . South." By Louis Becke. TJnwin's Colonial Library. "Tho Call of the South" by Louis Beckois a collection of very interesting stories, sketches and articles dealing with life* in the Pacific Islands, chiefly .in I the old trading days. None of the stories is elaborately worked .up and - some of the', sketches are very slight, but _ about them all there is a directness and a sincerity that make them very readable, and tho writer has 25 years of cxperienco to draw upon. As a handbook to tho Pacific the book has its value:and perhaps the best and most useful part of it is tho fierce little chaptor in which Mr, Beeko answers som'e unlucky journalist who drew a glowing picture of the ease with which anyone,can mnko a fortune in tho Pacific Islands. His cxperienco has boon that no one can begin to make a fortune without a fair'amount of capital at his back.- . i "Captain Spink." By. Morley Roberts.' i Unwiirs Colonial Library. Morley Roberts, who has dono some good . work in his day, has now . published a collectio.n of short stories under tho titlo .of "Captain Spink/' Sea Comedies ho calls thorn, but Sea would havo Veen a bettor term, for in l all thero is moro foolery than plot, and the characters aro caricatures. It is tho sort of book to read on a journey and forget at the ehd. •• I