REVIEW AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 12

REVIEW AND NOTES.

"Quintal's Rouseabout: and other Stories. By Edward S. Sorenson. Melbourne: Lothian. 3s. 6d. The name of Mr. Sorenson is familiar to readers of -the "Bulletin," one of the newspapers in which this volumo of short stories first appeared. He is not dowered, with, much in tho way of literary graces; he is ihuch inferior to Henry Lawson in tho bare technique of story-telling, and he frequently mars the action, of his tales_ by dragging in conversations and poor witticisms that are neither relevant nor interesting. -He falls frequently, also,_ into a very dull and lifeless manner, as a tired man will do. But, in spito of all theso defccts,.. Mr. Sorenson s stories are well worth reading,, for tho material is bright and frosh, and if he can be dull now and then, he can now and then be extremely good. If tho melodrama- of some of his stories is rathor obviously absurd and impossiblo, there is, nevertheless, tho genuine Australian. flavour throughout his book, which, in spite of all its faults, wo should much prefer'to see the public reading than tho rubbish that comes most of tho "popular" authors of England and America. Anything original, anything real; anything with a bit of scent or a hint of gomiine .colour, is incaculably _ more valuable, howevor ill it may bo fashioned, than tho smooth' romances that rub away to dust- between tho finger tips of assaying Thought. Consequently, although not very highly finished, 'Mr. Sorenson's stories ploaso us, far more, for tho coro within thorn, than the juicy and skilful novels that turn out, on investigation, to bo just iridiscont froth. '

"Mosquitoes: 'Their Habits and Distribution." By \V. J. Rainbow, F.L.S. Melbourne: Lothian. Is. Cd. This interesting little hook has boon issnod, it is explained, mainly with the object of assisting school-teachers and tho inhabitants in Gulicidae-iiifestcd districts. As everybody knows by now, it is through those mosquitoes known as "anopheles" that tho dreaded malaria is transmitted to man, and as "anonhelos" abound in Australia, it is very evident that there is more than a more scientific interest in Mr. Rainbow's ' rule: ''No anopheles,' 110 malaria." lie gives a great deal of historical information concerning tho mosquito, and a simple and clear account of its life history, together with directions for the best -way of tackling tho pest. "In respect of the manned in whioh certain mosquitoes rest, a pccular habit has

>een noted, and ono which will enablo an >bservor to decide at a glanco whether the nscet that has settled in front of him is an Vnqphclos or not. Having alighted upon a lorizontnl ! surface —such as a table, for instance—tho Anopheles usually poiso their >od.v, so that the beak or rostrum points lirectly to or touches ■ tho surface upon vliicli it chances to be standing. Tho body >f the insect is usually elevated in a per)ondinulo.r position, and sometimes it is held it an oblique angle." To combat those nsects successfully it is necessary to abolish iheir breeding places—marshes, swamps, and stagnant pools. Crude petroleum or keroicne poured on exposed sheets of wntcr.will iill the "wrigglers" or pupae. A little teroseno poured intq tanks containing Irinking water will not harm tho latter if it s drawn off from tho bottom. Why, one nay . inquire, all this anxiety about the mopheles. "Because," says Mr. Rainbow, 'the completion of tho Panama Canal, now vitliin sight, will bring tho yellow fever ireaa much closer to Australia than ever. 'Tho Lamp of Psycho." By Johannes C. Andersen. Melbourne: Lothian. 2s. Gd. If Mr. Andersen were a novice in authorship, tho volume of verso that he now pubmight bo passed over; in silence. But 10 is an old offender, and "Tho Lamp of Psyche" reveals him as having got ,mto a ,'ery bad state, from which ho should be •cstored by strong discouragement. This >rctt,y booklot consists of 89 pages of chaotic •hyming about science, life, death, and •oiigion. What its purpose may bb is beyond conjecture. In his preface, Mr. Anderien somehow gets involved in an argument ibout . tho Bible-in-schools, which is beivildering, and drags in a worthy editor as lis accomplice, which i 3' linkind. He says ;liat " it may be objected against tho Lamp if Psyche that its teaching would be more larmoniously delivered in prose: that m its iresont form lovers of- poetry will be repelled by tho subject matter, lovers ofscience by the 'form." To us, the fault of ;lio book is that it could be more grammatically delivered in prose, but not, we are ;fraid, more intelligibly; as lovers of poetry vo aro repelled by the form, and as lovers of scionco and sense by tho matter. Tho hook jonsists of verses like this: Through weary search and ceaseless toil, Each short-lived life of thoughtful man Has gathered up a teeming spoil That lumber seemed when ho began; But wo in it a gleam discern, And wo from it great truths may 1 learn. And tho. author shoots at you sentences like these, printed in italics: Shall grossnoss nil he over-blown And matter spiritual grown? A.nd From what doep source then was it given ? Perhaps there is some idoa in all this, "in smbryo endormod;" as Mr. Anderson would prettily' put it, but it has eluded us. What is specially distressing is tho fact -that the metro selected for these poor platitudes and incoherences is the metro of William Watson's glorious "Fathor of the Forest." Mr. Andersen must give up at onco his habit of trying to turn muddy "philosophy" into bad verso. ' "Moods and Melodies: Sonnets and Lyrics." ■ By Mary E. Fullerton. 'Melbourne: Lothian. Is. Another pretty little booklet from Lothjan. The authoress writes sonnets on anything, and she has obviously no idea of . the purposo of tliq sonnet or tho use of tho sestet. Nor has she poetic ideas.. Her phraseology is an irritating compost of'the catch-phrases that ins'tinctivoly avoid, and that arc so dear to amateur verse-writers: "proud Time's caprice," "floral .litanes," "lovely artistics," and tho rest. Wo.noto with pleased surprise ,an "altruistic. Night." Apart from her love of "spurn"'as a.-rhyirit word, tho authoress is romarkable for hei bad grammar. Sho "mado a vow' That when I saw you with tho bendcc brow . That I should spurn." ; vi Tlie lyrics are,' a littlo bettor. "Tho Roso of tho Elkhorn," by Thomas Watson. Palmerston North: H.. L, Youn'g. This story, written by a Feilding resident, claims to bo reminiscent of the author's earlj adventures in the. wijd" west of America in the days of pioneer settlement.-It describes a hazardous stock-driving expedition across tlu prairies, swarming with -hostile' Indians Soybro brushes with tho red-skins aro described in a sufficiently exciting manner, am' tho .-love intorCst in ■ which' -the narrator... aiic " Tho Roso " are concerned gives somo slighl tingo-of'the novel-to what-is otherwise i very simple story of adventure.' Wo coulc wish >that tho narrator's friend Alan, other wiso an estimable person, had not addc-d t< tho lonely grave-stone in tho wilderness, witl it 3 touching brevity of inscriptidn, "Alici: Mary Miller, died September 12, 1858, agee 20 years," his famous comment "Somebody'; darling slumbers hero." On the whole, how over, and despite many weaknesses of style tliis tale of an exciting youth can bo reac with a good-deal of pleasure. Schoolboy! will read it with a special appreciation, foi the sako of tho Indians. The cowboys story aro diverting characters.