A Book to Read Joys of Earth

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 259, 29 July 1937, Page 6

A Book to Read Joys of Earth

Fine Flemish Novel Breaks Tradition of “Smartness” “PaUieter,” by Felix Timmermans (Sydney: Angus and Robertson) . "PALLIETER is one of the most delightful characters ever to obtain place iu a book. He is a Flemish farmer, whose life provides the theme lor an unusual novel by Felix Timmermans. It is a translation from the Flemish, by C. B. Bodde, of what has become a favourite book in Holland to-day. Its popularity in Scandinavia will cause British readers little wonder. Few write with such fluent purity of style as Felix Timermaus, and the translation has, if anything, added, piquant flavour to the quaintness of the original. , The story is written with a pen dipped Ln sheer joy. PaUieter is a youth, with a very real appreciation of the simple joys of living, and of the beauties and goodness of the earth. Possessed by an almost overwhelming love of his fellow creatures, he has also a fine, rollicking sense of humour. The quiet life of a Flemish village is woven into the tale, and the characters are very human, lovable village folk.

Old Chariot, who keeps house for Pallieter, is as clearly portrayed as Palliet.er himself. Intensely religious, her devotion is the butt of much harmless teasing on Pallieter’s part. On one typical occasion she was setting off to join a religious procession at the same time as PaUieter was going to visit his young bride-to-be: — She looked very happy, aud shouted to PaUieter: ‘‘Hello, my lad! I’m goin’! Remember me to Marieke, and say I’ll be there on Sunday! I’ll put up many a prayer for ’ee, that you may live happy together ” "What for?” called out PaUieter. “I make no account of happiness that ye can get for me, I’ll make it for meself!” “I’ll pray for ’ee all the same,” she called back, snappishly. “And pray as much'as I like!” Marieke becomes Pallieter’s bride, after a wooing as joyous and untouched by artifice as is the incident throughout the story. The book is infectious in its spirit of gaiety, and if there is little of “realism” of the modern story about it, that is a recommendation rather than a disadvantage. Its greatest value lies in its unaffected sincerity, its warm humanity, which blows like the breath of spring after a winter of ultra-sophisti-cated, pornographic, joylessly witty novels. Felix Timmermans dedicated his work to the spirit of Pan, and to-day “pallieter” is incorporated into the vocabulary of Belgium and Holland. Either as verb or noun, it is used to describe that healthy sentiment which we clumsily call the “joy of living.” Hendrick 11'1110111 van Loon has written a delightful introduction to the book, and there are numerous charming black and white sketches by Anton Pieck. A typical example is reprinted above.