COLLECTED STORIES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 206, 28 May 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

COLLECTED STORIES

Sir Hugh Walpole’s Work Reprint

“Head in Green Bronze,” by Hugh ■Walpole (London: Macmillan). Sir Hugh Walpole says in his prefatory notice that he believes that short stories should entertain for anything between 15 and 50 minutes, and that it can be about whatever the author likes. He says, further, that he does not pretend to compare with H. E. Bates and A. E. Coppard, which is just as well, but does think that “some of these stories are entertaining, and I don’t care who says nay.” In this collection, which takes its title from the first tale in the book, there are seven forming a connected series. It is among this series that the best material is found, though even here there is a feeling that the author is painfully conscious of being lighthearted. There is every now and again an indirect apology for being frivolous. The majority of the stories present their humour as it appeals to the writer, when he is amused he stands back for a moment and lets the reader enjoy the laughter in a gentle manner also. The reader may, of course, not laugh. The reason for reprinting these stories seems to have been because the author's friends have remembered them, though they were written as trifles. ". . . Fifteen years after their first appearance, people say: ‘By the way, there was a story of yours I read once . . . ’ So here they are,” writes the author in presenting the volume to George Cukor with love. There is no elaboration on what his friends said after they recalled the story in question. Readers who have enjoyed the “Herries” and “Wintersmoon” series will find reprinted their favourite sections as short stories, and the seven connected tales were originally presented under the general heading, “Let The Bores Tremble.” A “CLEVER” NOVEL “Characters in Order of Appearance,” by Romilly Cavan (London: Constable). The adjective for this novel is “clever.” It is a story of family life in which the hero is a writer of drama. He started with a play that arrested public attention. His future promised to be brilliant. He rose from the dull level of a vegetable-simp parentage. He was a genius, but success came too soon. Moira, the younger daughter of a commonplace widow, is portrayed with great feeling and' understanding. Only a woman could have done it as well as Miss Cavan did this. Moira is naturally an artist, and, under tuition in . Paris, this is revealed in the form of dress-designing. Their marriage when both were very young seemed safe enough, for the genius was certain to go on from one success to another. Mark Brown, however, found himself unable to repeat his first success—he fails again and again. He becomes embittered —sour— to such an extent that he resents —in his heart- —the brilliant success of his sweet young wife. The development of Mark’s sourness—later his jealousy, is well drawn. The sweetness of Moira is dealt with with extreme tenderness. At times she is too docile —too loving to her irascible and disappointed husband.

Miss Cavan keeps the characters of her story almost within the family circle, yet creates circumstances which reveal the gradual changes in Mark’s outlook and its effect upon Moira. The end is a happy one. At times. Miss Cavan attenuates the dialogue between Mark and Moira—especially at the few occasions which culminate passionately. This novel is better than most—it bears the imprint of the most careful writing and rewriting. The name of the book is a foolisli one. The jacket bears on its reverse side a splendid photograph of the authoress, and Miss Cavan is better able than most to allow this.