NEW BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 419, 30 January 1909, Page 9

NEW BOOKS.

-''The Singular Republic,! , ! by W; H. Koebel. ; .Bell's, Colonial-.Library :r.;Whiteombednd ■:. Tombs, :Welh"ngton.::,2s.!'6d.'and 35.; 6d./ .There is .melodrama: of rthe::.best class; in this tale.of the troubled history, of an imaginary: South 'republib;- "Singular" tamely describes --.the/state of' Neuvonic, establishedini a' day.jii'the' wide",'wildernes3,' arid destroyed ..Bavage'revolutionaries in an hour., A striking character 1 is Brduillot, the millionaire- founder'and;president of the city;: half.hero.and-half showman,.genius and mere freak,,audacious,- magnetic, fertile iii-remark- , able resources; - When Brouillot founds his city,, he: is .imnressed,.with the disadvantage it riiust suffer-in having iio'great past' to'inspire . its; citizens.:, To repair as!far :as possible -this .deficiency, he. has statues erected of .-the chief -officials, ;with - vncarit'.spaccs for a.record , of;'their' glorious-. depds; when they shall have achieved them.'.' The;- revolutionary Minister, for: Justice, 'whose ; 'zeal : ,agaiiist ; tho smallest, evils raises a: rebellibri'which ho is powerless to quell,'is falso-a'strongly drawn character.. Then. - there is\i the story-of the hero who: follows!,an"unknown girl.'to this strange outpst of the.'earth, orily to learn ;that, she is betrothed to,another..: Her fiance proves a!,spiritless .fellow,- but there is suspense enough.before, the 'strong man wins his desire.;.-Mr;.Koebel.has-written an 'excellent sWry, lmaginatiye; liyelv,!humorous, , alive with stirring;incident. '.The' interest does not flag from the first page-to the laet. :

''The End; of the Journey," 'by Edward H." ■ Cooper. .Bell's Colonial Library. AVhit- .- combe arid Tombs, Wellington. 2s. 6d. and ■:;\3s."6d. ■■■■ ... :

It is the merits.of his writing which make i one Wish that Mr. Cooper had chosen a more.elevated story than' this, which provokes the exclamation: "Poor'.human nature 1" An adorable woman,,whom circumstances prevented from marrying, her first love, but: who has cherished for ten years ; a resigned and placid: affection for her husband and their delightful children,, meets again the object of her girlish- dream. Hβ' is a .journalist, a.poor-spirited creature. Lack n m ? n ¥ se P a ratod him, almost without an etrort, from a girl who gave, him- love for; lovo,v. when sho' was free; now that he is and she is married, his', passion easily subdues his sense of decency and honour, and he is'uuable to let her b0... Almost incredibly,' the sweet and ' lovable"'woman yields turtber and further 1 to his influence; harmless' assignations. lead to frenzied' meetings and a mad elopement, from'which she is rescued by a Jesuit priest. The lover is disposed of in a not quit© satisfactory manner, and we arc asked to.bejiev.e that .Frances Barnngton will be nobler and better for the crisis which, was almost.her ruin; .'Barrington is a. fine' fellow, who loye,s and wholly, trusts his wife, which makes more painful her infatuation for the other man. The fearless Jesuit confessor is a splendid' character,' and Mr. Oooperhas a charming knack of understanding and describing children. He is a master of literary description,-and be tells his story, well. Ho - might ■ have found' a story that was more worth telling.'- :

"tove and T the .Interloper'," by F." Frankfort ,; Moore. London: Hutchinson and Co. Welilington: Whitcombe and Tombs. 2s 6d - ; and 35.'6 d. ;; '■-..-' ,'•./'■': ■;'. ■■'- ■■■', I This: is a good healthy, story.of love, and sport in Ireland, interesting, though' without' any. great sensation. The plot' is very simple and has been worn, somewhat threadbare, but is-treated' in such'a bright,' breezy .fashion, that one overlooks -this. -'The heroine is a delightfully-drawn Irish girl;'whoso vary-inr-moods', -with the naive humour of the ■Irish..colleen,-.are treated in the' author's best ] style,, whilst:the old/Irishman, with his' family pride,- is an excellent character -■'• A' descendant -of one of the ancient kings of Irelandi-together .with,his son and datighteris,forced;'owingi.to.straitened circumstances to. sell his'castle,;which is purchased by an English: gentleman. :On . taking possession the Englishman is visited by a band of armed "patriots;" .who 'endeavour to force him-to-leave. ■ They are' not successful; however, but 'he hears • of. the' old Irishman and his daughter, the. son having left. for foreign" parts'. He visits: them in the guise of a "servant;- and ; falls m love , with the claushter. She belieVes him "to. ■Iβ what he professes;, and eventually his: lpye;is returned.:'/The■ father/is furious at.what;he considers his.daughter's mad.infatuation,.but with: his son's return: the aspect is completely changed, and the story is ibrought;to a natural conclusion. '.'■"■'-'".'■"■ '^antom; Figures;" by F.'Dickberfy.' ■ T. i Fisher-TJnwin, : London., 2s. 6d. and 3s. 6d.. :', Ther one/good thing about"this.book is that 'it:- is :very vogue .and; shadowy, ■: therefore,,one hardly realises just how -. disreputable, and unpleasant, are the chief .people who riioye"about in its pages. The plot is weak the; setting drab, the characters are apt' to be.:. : clammy;."and. there is-neither hero: nor heroine,, worth'mentioning. .' ■'" ■' ■ '

"^ h T?n Go J geo ?> s , Bor K' a >" Justin Huntiy M Cartln DiicUorth and Co. (Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd)

■■~-Tlie _Borgias occupy a sinister pagerin.Roman historjv For sheer finesse in .the subtle 'wratagem of the high: diplomacy of •. their, age —the';finesse.- which accomplished '.' the ,rental, ot political rivals by: an agency which inspired ;a nameless' horror.-of their deeds—the..Borgias: .acbieved■: a ;, reputation' .wliich invested .their regime with'all :the characteristics, of the. terrible' inquisition of-theSpan-ißh;:;era.i i In.-:brief,"the .'Borgia's "were the baesars ; of'Rome-in'its-- most -abandoned days—the .days .of that: splendid '.luxury , , and fegaV.viciousneis, .whichi'.-later, :sapped' the Empire.of,its..vfitality 'and*rotted its coristi.tution.' :.Qf -tho BorgiaS,-.Caesar 'and Alex"iS°?i> M'CartHy- has-written with;charadteristiorcare-arid finish, and cbri-BideraMe'./success'vr-'Se; has escaped the;errorj'i':to»; frequently'': made" of, investing >liis dialogue; with , , that stilted style 7, of Expression which some ■writers! conceiveVttf-.be appropriated/to; stories! of this'•••;. period;!!-His eliarpctefs are more .humanly , real ■thanji'perhapSj'histoijically correct.,but the tale'is the ..■worse, of that;,', 'Where- .the.. book fails;, .fail in.-, certain .respects, 'is ,-in the ..descriptive passages, which are dull ami wearisome t0...W .degree.-, The'.reader, is '•no sooner-engaged by/ -the,.- ; animation which: characterises the, conyeteatibnail' .passages with w_hich,"the story is" plentifully-. strewn. 1 than - his; interest. turn's;!-tq'' o of' ini-* patience'as^'he!ehcounters an'uriconscibriably protracted -piece of:stodgy-prose.!' On the whole,'however, the book is instructive; and. :often entertaining. . ~,. ■.'-. :',-■ ■-'... ' .:.■:■

."The.Spy, , } Maxim Gorky; G.;BeE and Sons -(Whitcombeand;Tombs,' Ltd.):,.'.-. -'f " .The .Spy .'.is v well, written; but unedifying." In his delineation.,of one'of the'more: sordid aspects' of Russian life, Gorky as usual, brutally'; frank'. He handles" the miseries ; : pf which he! writes! with ah apparent callousness which'-.suggests! the stoicism of 'the , slaughter-yard. - The '"Spy", is; the history! -of-/leysey Klimkov.: who.lacksj' all through hia rmiserable life, .the essential qualifications of a : calling which, with the, desperation, inspired! by the horrors" of >, the vicissitudes of his.carly youth,, he accepts:when~it is thrust at/him.! -Gorky's ' picture of ; the,/ Russian secret .police! is. no .doubt true; it-dpes : the service, but small -credit,-however,: and- reTeals the. terror'of the : Russian Revolutionary Party:-in a. distinctly-.:, unsavoury." 1 light.' Elimkp'v's nature revolts, against the; vices' of.'his"'.confreres, arid'shudders at the'obligations.of,his profession: The' , .climax-comes when.Klimkov, 'goaded to;a;frenzy by one of his superiors, threatens'him.with:a. revolver, and,; appalled by the, overwhelming enorriiity. of his ojfeuce,: ho makes a cowardly exit from his•iniserable life- by.'throwing himself under! a'train. . 'Die book,"-of course, is , worth.-read-ing. ..Its intriusic- value lies, in its u'neomprorilisihw depiction-'of! tbe : state' of affairs which, according-to" Gorky, obtains-iu one of the political departments of,, bureaucratic ~ Russia. ~-'.-•'.-;.: .■'-. ■'. - ; -.i-.'-'. : --.-'•'■■'.■ .'..-'- ,-.

!"Cousin Cinderella'," 'Mrs.' Everard-.Cotes; : Hethuen's Colonial /Library (Whitcbmbo and Tombs, 'Wellington); 'As. 6d.' -and' 3b. '■-.- 6d. '■ .' v/:'--:-' , -'':-', ,'■■''' . :, There is'/a,. certain .amount.'■of-'!'story .in "Cousin but the thread.'of it is alight,: , andthe..: interest of'.the•' book lies in' tke_ clever;.desqriptionsi.br London" life and society .as'.seen through'the 'eyes-of' two .wealthy .young ' : . Canadians. ' "George ' and Mary: . Trent,,. the ; children of. a : Canadian timber king, .go to England ; -with'the feeling , that' they .are .entering their, ancestral Home, and- their enthusiasm for everything ;typ'ically";B.n"lish. is . amusingly' ■ -contrasted witlv, the," indifference .and .ignorance, '.with regard, to colonial, affairs,, shown i by their new; acquaintances.' .'What Mrs. Cotes' did for : New.,;York;:;n;.''Those.Dolightful! Americans;"';she sets out here to do: for London, wibli,:less, success;, because this main idea .of the relations between'the people of. the Motherland; and/;th'eir kin from .overseas necessarily limits her scope. Tho Canadians at first do the sights of London because they have nothing/else to do, but an impetuous Ainofican heiress who has already, niade her way into London society.: swoops, down . on them, and gains for them adnnssion to the , same circle, where, received at first languidly enough, they are .welcome .when the , .-riewß, of their wealth spreads abroad.', !George. falls mildly in love with a-Lady Barbara, . and wildly in -lovo with her magnificent 1 but,dolapidated,old home.; He becomes engaged to both,. arid: after' effecting the restoration of Pavis Court-ho. finds'that.'Lady Barbara cannot marry He is too nice, sho says, to be married for that sort of thing. This naturally casts a gloom'.over the book which is only relieved 'when Mary - Trent becomes engaged on the last page to Lady Barbara's brother; the head of his .house. Tho hook is dolightfully : written, and is sure to ho read.with especial .interest by people in the colonios. '. The 'minor, characters are caricatured just enough to bring out their best points, and'from the old servant who goes with the flat and who insists on being called by the name of her first husbanii,- lie"cause ■ she was used to , it and did not like changes, to the 'wife of' tho: perpotual gov-

ernor, they are all interesting and amusing. Lady. Lippington, _ the determined woman who never rests until her husband is appointed as Governor-General of Canada, and who assumes the air of a patriotic martyr when the timo comes for her to leave England, is one of the best characters where many are excellent. -.

"Blue and White," tho record of St. Patrick's College for the past year, is a volume to bring and pride.to the hearts of old, boys. This magazine , , which first started in 1897, has had a chequered career, but-if anything could console its friends for the. years when it has not come out, it is tho quality of tho journal on its reappearance. The entire history of tho school's life during tho past year, its joys and triumphs and; sorrows, work and play, is : ably iiarratod in a volume of over ■ a hundred pages. An admirable portrait of the rector, the Bev. A. E. Keogh, S.M., 8.A., faces a view of the college in , the journal's forefront, and a host of-other excellent illustrations include "A corner of the Museum," views of the caSets, camera club, and sports teams, and a genuine gallery of' old boys more or less distinguished. So admirable a publication should not be allowed to lapse again. . ■.-'..-.. - -

Mr. David "M. R-oss, of Hawke's Bay, author of "The Afterglow" and "The Promise of the Star,"has translated into verse for early publication the ancient Gaelic poem "Fingal," from the original rendering by 'the late' Mr. M'Pherson. The poem is dedicated in felicitous terms to Professor Gilruth, in memoryof the first far nights of friendship between himself and the author, when among the desolate sandhills of the Eastern Coast they waited the breaking of an equinoctial dawn by. the riTer To Awa ote Atua. 1 — .."Hastings Standard." ' .:. : ~. :..

.-.To HhoNewitork"Outlook" Mr. E/V. Lucas contributes an admirable^paper on William.Do_ Morgan,.<the .novelist, -who suddenly .'sprang,-intp.fame, though,he began- his literary career at sixty-four. : ; ; Mr.. LYicas- draws.a good', parallel between Mr. De Morgan-and Mr'.' Du Maurier. Dii Maurier ..began with "Peter Ibbetson". at the .age of.fifty-sis, "Josoph Vance" appeared when Mr. De Morgan was sixty-four. .Mr. Lucas ;'thinks that Mr. De , Morgan is the ideal novelist for the old. "The readers:of.these books, feel themselyes to be in the hands of a man of ripe experience, who possesses , (as : ' Lowell ; said of Holmes)- ' ivisdom tempered ('with' a smile." We fall.instantly under the kindly spell,"and thus hypnotised:all is easy; it.becomes simpler- to read on than to stop.', One is'lulled by.-.these.-books as in a' hammock." Mr. Lucas,.:who is an excollent;judge,. says:—-"I consider; Mr. Do-Morgan almost the' perfect example,, of the humorist; certainly the com■.pletest since' Lamb—by humorist meaning one. who brings to this life a'lovablb whimsicality oi; his;-.own, -and "a'desireto discover it in Whers, and who never under, any. conditions, however serious, loses either the'gift or the desire. 'This.is,very high -.praise,'thinks Man. of Kent" in the "British' Weekly " and, wants consideration: Of MrM)e Morgan ■porsonaUyMr. Lucas says:—"He 'will not, Lam sure; think me rude if'.l'.say.that 'if. a Jiign-spmted caricaturist set to work upon ■ v™,'««." would probably produce something a Jittle.hko.,a lamp-post with an ostrich's.egg .set upon it. He. has the sparest,-slenderest ngure, surmounted, as Mr.: Cobum's photograph shows,- by : - a fine dome-like foreKead, not unlike the forehead of his friends Tennyson and •Swinburne. "In conversation he Is whimsical, his stories being of that pleasant variety .which loiter and. laugh on- the way •rather than come brilliantly-to the point"

■ The : Lone Hand": for February is a comprehonsivo number, 'equal to the usual stan.uard.; JNormaii; Lindsay supplies acoloured frontispiece, which illustrates the breaking-in pr-a horse. It -is not .particularly well done ' but it;is encouraging to find Lindsay treating a-subject..which, is not .revolting. .': Madame' Melba gives some advice on "Music: as a •Profession, .which will be hone the less ilseful to ~ Australian . girls,, because' it was apparently' written for thoso of and America. : Mr; Jack London tells: a. lively . story of,, his,, early iterary struggles..-. ."Literature; ...was only .'a by-prpduct or■»>■ establishment;" -he.says of a past time. "Lawn mowing and carpet beat-ing-wore;, the'staples. ; I never let'certain business slip;by .because-Ljhappened to be . interested ~in,., the ,stqry 1 Vas writing■•■ •: I Remember -once Iliadto-leave Malemute Kid' in a. most critical, situation, while I .'raced' round-two blocks to-get at the job of cleaning out a fowlhouse ahead of another man.." Mr ■». . A. ■ Jeffries beginsi a series.-.of , articles.on the supposed.nationalmenaco of the Nortliern Territory, Me.; Louis Esson sends,a weli-illus-trated .article v on"Theßoof of the AYorld," the- final .■decisions of the' beauty , quest are tJiven, :with illustrations, and'the .Victorian - oll ? l s, ar nV lg L oro^?l y attacked "for the publib good._ Ihe.beauty competition for New Zealand- Miss Baby Mowat, of Blenheim, with. Miss Edna Hayes, of Gisborne,' second. .Thorois; a variety, of exciting fiction vorse.of the-usual standard, and other interesting ; ;matter.:.,.' '■:-'■■■'■■,■'..■--: ! ..