A CAD’S PROGRESS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

A CAD’S PROGRESS

The Triumph of Wrong Over Right

“Autobiography of a Cad,” by A. G

Macdonell (London: Macmillan)

This is not satire, for satire contains an admixture of ill-nature or severity; nor is it sarcasm, for sarcasm signifies biting or nipping satire; yet it is not Irony, for irony is at the best only concealed satire. So it must lie ridicule, for ridicule is composed of simple laughter, and is employed in matters of a shameless or trifling nature. It certainly deals with utterly shameless matters. It is nonchalantly immoral; it is highly diverting, and the wonder is that Mr' Macdonell has iteen aide, as he has, to sustain the high standard of hilarity from the beginning to the end. This is a story of the conquest of wrong over right, of trickery over honest dealing. The trouble of it all for tlie moralist is that this end was. by his actions, naturally successful, and be hardly ever dropped his guard to his enemy. He first reveals himself as a cad al Eton—where, by the way, tlie word found its origin. There, as lateu, he always got from under —sacrificing his friends if it was to be for his own personal advantage to do so. When the Groat War broke out he helped to win the war and evaded active service by pulling the right strings. He secured a captaincy in one of the many war departments safely established In London. He was awarded several foreign decorations. One may use the word “award” so long as it is not confused with anything associated with reward. In every escapade where there was any danger the cad thought first of himself. In an Ulster gun-running escapade, he handed over secret documents, through sheer cowardise, to some unknown men, but, luckily, and he was always lucky, to men working for the Same cause.

Perhaps, mention should have been made before now of the fact that he was extremely wealthy, squire of a manor, and sufficiently well-connected to be known in the best English families. These factors are all clearly used by the author to show that money, breeding, position are enough for any man, fool -or knave, to rise to the highest rank in the English public service.

Following his unscrupulous course after the war, he becomes Tory M.P., and, after some Parliamentary vicissitudes, lie becomes Under-Secretary and, by the wickedest treachery, ousts the Minister and takes his place. His blatant infidelity to his wife, he regards as normal or usual; hers, on the contrary, though induced by himself, is an outrage upon decency. Ultimately he is caught in flagrentl delicto. Again his good luck holds, and, outrageous though it be, he triumphs—hypocrisy triumphs; yet the reader will laugh all the time —for it is such delightfully blatant ridicule. There is not a trace of malice in it at all.