BOOKS and AUTHORS.

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 155, 27 March 1926, Page 25

BOOKS and AUTHORS.

By

LIBER.

Give a man a pipedie can smoke, Give a man a book he can read: .And his home is bright with a calm delight Though the room be poor indeed. S — JAMES THOMSON.

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

A Capital Dipping Book. * Books which you can take up for but an hour, even onlj a quarter of an hour, and be sure oi good entertainment, are none too common. But a book which can, in but a minute or two, afford food for profitable and interesting reading must be accounted a real boon to the great army of desultory readers. Such is Mr. A. ' Bonnet Laird’s ‘‘One Minute a Day” (the latest addition to Messrs. Herbert Jenkins and Co.’s Fireside Library). Mr. Laird’s volume reproduces the “anniversary talks” by the author as broadcasted oy the 8.8. C. during 1925. As showing the. scope and character of this alluring little volume, let us take tl._ broadcasted “talks” on some anniversaries noted during March of last year, none longer than a page of print, some much briefer. I find Mr. Laird gossipping, under date March 24, upon th. conclusion of its labours on that date in 1745 of the Parliamertary Committee “to inquire into the causes of the most infamous crime of . smuggling,” one piece-of information being that in Suf folk alone, in six months, more than 1800 horse-loads of tea and nearly 170 C loads of other smuggled goods had been landed in that county alone. One witnc told of tramps, called “duffers,” who used to ’walk inland from the coast with no less than a hundred-weight of tea sewn into their coats.” Some size those coats 1 Og March 25, 1582, was born one Archbishop John Williams, of whom. alas. I confess, I had never previouslv heard, - who, says the author, “so ablv preached before King James I. the virtues of - trimming, that he passed with lightning rapidity through three prebendaries, a royal chaplaincy,and -two -deaneries, holding eventually the-iobs of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, Dean of Westminster, and Bishop of Lincoln.” This was, vou observe, before the davs of “one man, one job.” Beethoven’s death is chronicled under March 2fi. Of the ' great German maestro': and his awkwardness, -Mr. Laird tells of his being-asked by lady admirers to hear them play his sonatas, when ■ “he would pick his teeth with the candle-sritiffers 'and' then- go to. sleep on the sofa.” Deafness, had for the famous composer at least one consolation.

Next day'.', we get a .'compact. . but gossippy'biography in. petto of John Bright, from, .which very serious man we .'pass to . Peg Woffipgto'n, tfie... Irish, actress,', and. .read ... .of - her '. , .appearance ("..’fin . a .breeches . part,” and., of. the victims ...claimed bv her-’P'witfefiing ,grev . ey<s,”.. Under date '• March 29 wq -come , to'Soult, one of Nap’s private soldiers; • who really did carry “a ■ field 'marshal’•?-.baton in his rknansack.’.’ -switching off-the next: dav •to a brightly informative ;. little note on Bean Brummel,; the . month, closing • with . the.. anniversary of ' the famous politician and poet, .- Andrew Marvell; :who. was born at Hull oh M.-.rch 31.-lC.2t.

.Marvell was a great character. Til's M.P. of that time got an allowance of six and eightbence for each day the House <at..but in an. age of graft Marvell shone out as an incorruptible..

Charles .ll'.. : n'lthjutrli . Marvell as', poet had freejv lanmjoned .the.' Merry. Mop-, arch, offered him a coiirt post, turned down. and. then a irift of £lOOO, Marvell’s. comment and. conduct are recorded,...thus..."

• “Jack."., ho called to his sdrvinp boy. .whon the- Treasurer - himself arrived with the ■rift, .what had I for dinner. yesterday.?” .. . . . . “The little ehoul.dor of. mutton, sir.”. "And' wfiat-'shall -I have to-day?_”' ■' "The bio'de-bone ’ holled." ;

“Right! You see; Any -lord:;-‘my dinner is provided.- T do not. want .-this piece of naner.” -■■■■■:

That-, same evening, so-the story goes, Marvell'had - to send out. bis boy to borrow a guinea

April begins'.with a ncte on Elihu Dumbledick,- famous as an “inventor and sportsman.” Elihu,- it -appears, was:.-fap, to-Gladstone at school, and invented '.a; method of “stronning. dress collars which may he said to have revolutionised the laundry industry.” Also, lie owned '.‘the thoroughbred” Kissing-Cup. winner of the Derby and the Oaks. The next item is all about Nelson’s victory at Conenliave-n—but I must slop. ..Mr. Laird’s little .book is rich •in curious and; out-of-the-way facts. Yes, a capital “dipping” hook. It must go on to “Liber’s” bedside shelf, be there room left. (6d. 6d.). i British Sea Venturers.

Anything from .the pen yf. “Taffrail” (Commander Taprell Dorlingj is always welcome, for no writer on the sea has a more substantial hold upon the reading public which finds pleasure in this particular branch of literature. In “Sea Venturers of Britain” (Collins, Sons, and Co., per Whitcombe and Tombs), “Tafifrail” tells in his own racy way, of the voyages and discoveries of some of the most famous ocean in British history. Here are recounted, in an attractive and stirring way, the gallant deeds) of Drake, Hawkins, a id Frobisher, of Dampier, Cook, and Anson, of Franklin and Scott. A specially notable feature of a book than which no more acceptable gift for- a youth could be imagined is the series of drawings by C< ’il King, of the ships in which the great Venturers sailed air 1 portraits of the explorers. (10s. 6d.).

Mr. Chesterton's “Cobbett.” A recently issued volume in Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton’s tastefully produced series of “Intimate Biographies,” is a monograph on William Cobbett bv G. R, K. Chesterton. There is not a little in common, although m far differing times, with that sturdy John Bull Cobbett, and his new biographer, for, like Cobbett, Mr. Chesterton stands for a rural, almost medicvalised, England, as free from the omnipotence of .modern industrialism as from that of a wealthy landocracy. Although Mr. Chesterton may not here, to all of us, be as specially successful as he was in his admirable biographies of Browning and Dickens, there is a pith and point about his monograph on Cobbett which is not only higlilv characteristic, but emphatically interesting. Personally, I am afraid that few of us to-day read Cobbett’s semi-political disquisitions, but two of his works, “The Rural Rides” and the ''Journal!’ of hip experiences iri America, are both procurable, in . good, and not costlv reprints, and deserve to be better known to the latter-day reading world than I fear thev are Meanwhile. Mrl Chesterton’s monograph on the sturdv and pugnacious old reformer should not he overlooked (Rs.fi.

“A Sea Lover’s Scrip” is not a volume of new poems, but a compilation of lyrics and ballads of the sea selected from Mr. Rice’s former . volumes. Therein- booklovers of limited means will find his best work-in. handy form, and possess .themselves of a collection of sen Vetse not equalled bv any-living writet and seldom excelled by atty poet of the past. .' . ' ■

AT THE SIGN OF -THE LYRE f“Public School Verse.

The fifth volume oi Public Sch°o Verse” (William Heinemann, Lta.), contains an anthology for 1924-1.2 a, there being twentv-nine poems’ seventeen' authors. Next hoped to include some verses from.the Dominions. Several of the Jcontributions here includea are posse, s ed of distinct merit, although in fluences" are often rather too palpably suggested. pearson , s beJ?utifu i Mnes “There is no God,” for instance, the whole poem reflects 1- E. Brown s un forgettable lines, “My Garden. The voutliful poet might, too, avoid such expressions as “thou pale g - dess ” “moonbeam fantasies, taintfug ’evelids,” etc., and th S . affectation of languor and weariness might well oe dropped. But that, alas, is an ancient poetic pose, a species of llt^ r “ measles fiom which most young authors suffer, but get rid of very Quickly. We should have welcomed s o n,et *’’’ , £ more in lighter vein.. It is all a little staid, solemn, and stiff for youth. A Selection from Kipling. Rudyard Kipling’s poems tun . into three or four volumes, in their original editions, and the. “Collected Poems make a portentously bulky tome. But few of us either want anything ana everything which Kipling has written in verse, or would find the cost prohibitive. Hence the simply, but tastefully produced little selection, A Choice of Songs from the Verse ot Rudyard Kipling” (Methuen and Co.), should be very welcome, lhe selection, which has been made by the author himself and includes many examples of his best verse, is prefaced by an entirely new poem, “A Choice .pt .Bongs,” writti n specially for the little volume; ■ (N.Z. price, 35.). Phantom Gold.

There are- many pleasant l>n^ s in “Phantom Gold and Other Verses, by G. T. Cook (Sydney, Sands and Co.). Manv of the poems-have an, Australian motif, . some reflecting the. influence of Henry- ; Lawson and other writers, but -.ill verv happiiv turned. Several are eminently 'suitable, for recitation, for ■which purjiose. they have-been written. There is-n uch wholesome sentiment in Mr Cook's verse; , much of . which has already been published in variousVtistralian and New Zealand, journals. Other poems reflect a broad and emmentlv Christian- spirit, (Religious' Verse.

.In ; .Michaiei'.J.: 'Watson’s ' “Lyrics of fniioceiice”. (Sydney,’ .Cornstalk . Publishing.' Company),’ the, dominant tone 'fs ■ one' Tof devout .religion. 'Que. of the longer. po'enis,- "“The', Fairy Prince 'in Lilv, Lost a nd. Fou nd,’’, is, however, a -story, of.'.Australian ,'fairydpin, with ‘rtianv beaurifuilv-phrase.d yerses. Ihe book, upon'the tasteful (format of the -publishers are .to be complimented, contlM’rtC'a. fe "’- illustrations, reproductions from masterpieces .of . sacred art in the ' famous galleries' at the .Vatican, the Prado, and the National Gal-, lerv.. .. (Per. Angus rand, Robertson)... -“The spirit of Happiness.”

Those who have read Lord Gorki’s previous books of' verse will not Tailti> place“ The Spirit of Happiness” IT. Fisher Unwin), beside 'them on their bookshelves.' Th all . his books’there'is i wealth of personal thought and a picturesque plav of fancy, together with a passionate’ sincerity. In this, poem, Lord Gore)] sets his hand to a larger canvas than 'he has previously attempted, but ( eyery ' page, is animated -.bv the- same -spirit- and■ guided by the same ■princijiles.J “The Spirit of Happiness” "gives-us ■ a -sample of the poetry B,* the open-air’and" the vigour of its thoughts is matched and" enhanced bv the- free diatonic' melody of its verse'. (Price 7s. 6d.); '

Three very readable new stories come from Messrs. Hutchinson' and Co. (per Messrs; 7 Whitconibe and ■Tombs). “Tides of Men,” bv Ronald Oakeshott; ‘is the story of n man’s search for happiness,. which ■ latter he ■finds.in a-somewhat unpromising quarter in the. London slums. . He is lured for a time into the.-clutches of . a vast international secret society, and goes through many stirring adventures, but emerges from a difficult .position with the love of a charming. girl.

LIBER’S NOTE BOOK R.W.-/I‘he “Forsyte Saga,” by John Galsworthy, originally consisted of the three stories, “The Man of Property,” "To Let,” and “In Chancery.” In these three stories, published in the above order, a continuous family history is given. . The three stories, together with “The Indian Summer of a Forsyte” and “Awakening,” forming connecting links, and originally pub fished in a collection of short stories by the same author, were republished, in 1922, in a single volume. Since then Mr. Galsworthy has continued his history of the Forsytes by a specially charming novel, “The White Monkey,” published early last year,_ and is adding a furthet sequel in a serial storv, “The Silver Spoon,” which js now appearing in “Scribner’s Magazine.” and which will probablv be republished in volume form in England by the close of the present year. It is most essential that the Forsyte stories should be read in their proper order, as given above. Mr. P. R, E. Face (Wellington) commends me for “putting in a good word” for Warwick . Deeping’s stories, but scarcely'-shares my liking for the novelist’s latest work, “Sorrel and Son,’ which, I- grieve to notice, he “failed to get through,” not caring for Sorrell’s son “The English public school boys all seem,” my correspondent savs, “to behave and speak exactly., alike, m novels.” Mr. Face, however, warmly comments “Drums,” the American novel suggested for reading by a Los Angeles friend, whose letter I quoted recently. , . A.J.H., Wanganui.—Polack’s two books on ' early New Zealand have not vet been reprinted in the Dominion. But vou can get ixitli Earle’s book and Wakefield’s “Adventures in New Zealand” in excellent and reasonably priced reprints. I cannot spare space for a complete list of Mr. E. Verrall Lucas’s books, but if vou go to any good booksellers vou are sure to find one of this author's volumes. Look at the list of “Works bv'E. V. Lucas,” which appears opposite the title page, and T think vou will find what vou want., If you don’t know his novels —Air. Lucas not incorrectly styles them “entertainments”—vou should begin with “Over Bemerton’s,” and follow, it up ..with “Mr. Ingleside”, and “London Lavender.” Also,. sample. one of his collections of “Essavs,” and if you have time tackle his admirable—bv. far the best—■“ Life of Charles Lamb,” and his two volumes of “Lamb’s Letters.” But E.V.L. is—as Betsv Prig said of “the drinks”—“al! good.” I have quite a batch of correspondents this week. Two of them send me’some poems in MSB., and ask me to criticise them. I recret I cannot undertake this task. Life is short, and leisure just now is sadlv lackitig. Original verse is not accepted for use on this page. _ y " SOME RECENT FICTION “The Cantab.” It is greatly to be regretted that Mr.' Shane Leslie, the author of “The Cantab” (Chatto and Windus) has thought fit to spoil, by certain erotic passages, an almost brilliant novel of life at Cambridge, and of the spiritual divagations of a young Englishman who, like Compton McKejizie’s Michael Fane in his “Sinister Street,” and the hero of the same writer’s more recently ’ published trilogy, seems predestined to find a refuge from religious doubts in the Rotnan communion. For the story, despite several instances of questionable literary taste is unmistakably a quite remarkable production. Young Stormington’s career at Cambridge, the various social and religious Influences, which are brought to bear upon him, his connection with a Ritualistic mission in an East End slum, his 1 trip to Russia, his interview with Tolatov, and other .leading incidents, are all described with a firm hand. It is doubtful, however, whether readers v.’ho are not personally acquainted with university may not be rather bored with Mr. Leslie’s chapters dealing with life on the Cam. To present under the Ihinnest of disguises Oscar Browning, Father Hugh Benson, and that strange mixture of piety, egotism, and downright charlatanry, the queer person who chose to style himself “Baron de Cprvo”—here introduced as Baron Falco—-is all in rather questionable taste. But the local colour of Cambridge, the chapter on Stdrmington’s exploits as an oarsman, the vivacity and realisrii. of the storv are undeniable. The erotic interest of certain passages is really- extraneous to the storv as a whole, but it is.as morally offensive'as it is aesthetically, wrong,

Mr. Leslie, too, overdoes what is far too close to downright sectarian pro. paganda, and the brilliant literary artistry of the book admitted, it seems a great pitv that its author had not rigidly revised it before presenting it to the reading public. “Quince Alley.”

Mrs. Henry Dudeney, the author <3f “Quince Alley” (W. Collins, Sons and Co., per Whitcombe and Tombs), has given us many excellent novels with a Sussex background, but she has rarely if ever written a stronger and better story than this of a city-born man, who, inheriting from a' curiously-; dubious source a country house, Iron Pear Tree Farm, becomes so obsessed with the pride of possession that he goes near to sacrificing his whole life to the fascination. Old Miss Weatherby, whom he had found in a sordid corner near Gray’s Inn, had read to and befriended, all ignorant of a past which in her native village is still held in deep contempt, dies and leaves him an old manor house near that picturesque Steyning of which Hilaire Belloc, E. V. Lucas, and others have written so delightfully. He is only an insurance clerk on a poor salary, and after marrying finds that his property is a white elephant, for the land around has gone to a nephew of Miss Weatherby's “protector,” and George Armitageand his pretty wife Phoebe find it almost impossible to make ends meet. The young owner, however, steadfastly clings to his heritage. Gradually the wife, after bearing a still-born child, the money which should have gone to giving her help having been swallowed up by repairing the house, revolts against her dreary position, and elopes with a rich voung laudowner, leaving Iron Pe ar Tree Farm with a deep hatred against what for her husband is an ill-fated, useless possession. Poor Phoebe’s love for her husband survives the act of folly, and the time comes when she welcomes a break in her new relations, and returns to confess her ill-doing—and to hear from the husband that after her departure he, tqo, had sinned. ' A small income from a new source puts things right, and the novel closes with the promise of happier, days. “Quince Aliev” is quite a remarkable study of human passions, Mrs. Dudeney revealing herself as a deep student and unsparing delineator of a psychological problem of no small subtlety. This is an exceptionally fine story.

“Dapljne Bruno.” “Daphne Bruno,” by Ernest Raymond (Cassell and Co., per Whitcombe and Tombs) It was with that fine story “Tell England” we first made acquaintance with Ernest Raymond’s work. Since then his name on a title page has been the hall mark of pure metal, and, so far, in no instance have we. found it false to sample. “Daphne Bruno,” his latest book, cannot fail to float the author’s reputation. ..to a still higher water-mark. Daphne casts a spell over an obstinate boy with whom fate flings her in contact early in life. Subsequently she becomes entangled, in vehement love adventure whichproves - piquant --and ’ poignant, and ‘i borders on tragedy. ' The persons grouped in the story provide excellent material for a series of character studies-r-spontane-ous, sprightly, striking, full, fresh, and fascinating. It is the sort of story that impels and compels to a finish at a sitting, and leaves regret behind when it is. However, in this instance, the regret is appeased by the author’s promise of another volume in which Daphne’s further , experiences will be carried to a satisfactory conclusion. Some Hutchinson Fiction.

It is some time since we had a new story from Coningsby Dawson’s pen, responsible in the past for more than one novel of exceptional interest. Mr. Dawsou -now comes to the front once again with a cleverly written psychological . study, “Old Youth’'’ (Hutchinsons, per Ferguson and Osborn) . The heroine is a voung widow whose life is sadly “cribbed, cabined, and confined,” by tyrannical relatives. There comes a day, however, when she meets her once boy-lover—now a widower with a grown-up daughter. The girl, whose own freedom is held in trammels, is encouraged bv the widow, and remains steadfast to the youth she loves, whilst the widow is fated to renew the romance of her own youth and wed her old lover. A brightly written, enjoyable story. “The Driving of Destiny,” by Ursula Bloom, has a lively and lovely girl as heroine, who, forced into marriage with a man she does not love, meets a "Mr. Right, who awakens a strong passion, the result being an awkward problem, which the girl solves courageously by casting aside convention and taking her destiny, into her own hands.