NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 108, 8 May 1909, Page 13

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

"THE GREAT PRO-CONSUL." " Sir Georgo Grey : Governor, High Commissioner, and Premier." An Historical Biography. By James Collier, formerly Assistant to Herbert Spencer ; joint-author of "Descriptive Sociology" — English and French; and author of "The Literature Relating to New Zealand : A Bibliography." In the long list of books relating to New Zealand, published in recent years by the enterprising firm of Whitcombe and Tombs, we should certainly be inclined to place this one at the head. Of course, the many valuable reprints included in the number come into a different category — any one can reprint an old and rare book, and such is to be judged only in regard of its typography and general craftsmanship and its annotations and editorial work generally. We have had amo"hg these books a few good and serviceable biographies, I some filling a valuable place in the increasing mass of historic material accumulating in New Zealand — increasing so fast that collectors of New Zealand literature will soon be constrained to specialise — but the book before us is one that stands decidedly apart. Not so much in regard to its subject; for the picturesque figure of Sir George Grey, dominating, as it does, the early history of New Zealand — and not New Zealand alone — has compelled attention, and his life has been several times written. It is the singular fitness of the biographer for his work that gives this book its importance. Its subject is too great for a mediocre author, however full of information. It has been already undertaken by a man of conspicuous ability and unusual literary gifts, but while we have from Mr. Collier appreciation, we had from Mr. Rees chiefly eulogium, and thereby the historic value of his work was impaired. Well known as Mr. Collier is to literary men in this country — who are well acquainted with his scholarship and diligence in historic and bibliographic research — they will not, we feel sure, read very far in this fascinating volume without a still higher respect for his abilities. He has made a contribution of permanent value to our colonial history, and probably in years to come it will be by this book that he will be best known. In his brief preface he writes generously and appreciatively if those who have in some measure anticipated him in his work, and acknowledges his indebtedness to them. But, as he truly says, "the whole story of a life so full and varied has been told by none of his biographers. ' ' And, whatever his indebtedness may be to preceding writers, his book has every quality of an original work. He was intimately acquainted with the subject of the biography and with many of his personal friends — "his subordinates in the old days, his colleagues in later years" — and, apart frpm careful research, much of his information is thus first-hand. But the feature of the book is not so much its completeness as its unity. It is a comprehensive study from a definite point of view. Most books of biography give evidence of the constructive faculty, by which one may pile a cairn of stones possessing, it may be, some degree of dignity or symmetry. But to produce an organism demands a higher faculty than the constructive. Mr. Collier's mind is creative, and the figure of his subject appears before us as an organic whole. We are throughout conscious of the keen intellect, the wide grasp, the dominant will that would brook no opposition. To those who know the man he will stand out afresh, in his strength and his weaknesses, and they will acknowledge the truth of the picture. Considered merely as a biography, the book has completeness and symmetry. Over one episode, and that a painful one — the quarrel with Lady Grey, and the breach of thirty-four years, healed only by the intervention of friends in his last days, the author is reticent, mentioning merely the fact. Had he chosen, he might, perhaps, have found in it one of the mistakes — and an irreparable one — characteristic of his subject's temperament. The separation was Sir George Grey's sole act, and appears to have been the result of a hasty misjudgment ; nor would he listen to expostulation or explanation. There is, of course, debatable matter in the account of a career so long and varied, but many disputed points are cleared up. For instance, Mr. Collier, following Professor Henderson, shows the fallacy of the foolish and malignant story that Sir George was connected with the Irish Grays, and changed the spelling of his name to disguise the fact. The story was promulgated in a scurrilous pamphlet while he was Governor of New Zealand, and, of course, was often repeated It is characteristic of the man that he never, directly or indirectly, took the slightest notice of it, though he had most abundant evidence, had ho chosen to produce it, and coujd have exploded it almost with 1 a word. As, however, it has been revived since his death, it became advisable to adduce proof to the contrary. On the other hand, the biographer I shows how completely mythical is the story that gives Sir "George the credit of Lord Elgin's great act of patriotism and self-denial when, without orders, he transferred the China fleet to India at a critical moment. Sir George Grey, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, always claimed the act as his own, and the fable is incorporated in Mr. Rees's history. Mr. Collier holds thab Sir George was under a real hallucination in this matter (as in some others) in his later years, and suggests the subject as an appropriate one for the Society of Psychical Research. To follow the author through even the main details of so active and significant a life would be impossible in brief space. Sir George's fame will ever be associated chiefly with New Zealand, but his administration, either at the Cape or in South Australia, would have been sufficient to make him famous. As a booklover, Mr. Collier deplores that the magnificent collection so munificently presented to Cape Colony should be shut out from the scholars who could make use of it — ■ men to whom it is "as the waters of Tantalus;" also that he should have made the mistake of including in it so many precious Polynesian manuscripts, as it is possibly the most unsuitable place in the world for them. The story of the drastic rectification of South Australian finance is told once more. It was a work that only an autocrat could have accomplished ; and its hardship was mitigated by the statesmanlike method adopted of relieving the congestion in the town and scattering the distressed people over the lan-d. As an explorer, both in Australia, Sir George Grey's work is also appreciatively set forth, and his scientific insight and diligence as a collector are noted. But the main interest, of course, attaches to his New Zealand career — the plans he formed, the reforms he initiated, the friendships and the antagonisms he made. His friendship with Bishop Selwyn was as close and persistent as his antagonism with Sir William l<'ox, but his nature was not one adapted for friendship. He quarreled with friends and colleagues, and was "savage" in resentment and unforgivinig. He was largely responsible for the constitution of the Church of England in the colony

as well as for our own Constitution, but was a failure as an administrator. There is a painful and suggestive diminuendo in his successive offices as set out on t}ie title-page ; he devised nearly aH the revolutionary measures for which the credit is so often given to Ballance and Seddon, but could not carry them out. The man who as an autocrat set South Australian finances in order brought those of New Zealand into almost inextricable confusion as_ a responsible Minister, and his administration closed in disappointment and failure. Mr. Collier's style is free and striking ; his wide historic knowledge is evidenced by innumerable happy alluj lusions and parallels. He visualises his scenes, and he has just that quality of imagination which is necessary to give vitality to biographical work. Where he would trace tho mental development of his subject by finding indications in successive portraits of the appearance in succession of characteristic qualities, the imaginative faculty is perhaps carried rather far, but we should be sorry to miss the passage. In the striking comparison with Gladstone on one hand and Bismarck on the other, the author shows characteristic insight. Sir George Grey's fine intellect and fascinating personality were sadly associated with a hardness and implacability that not only marred his domestic happiness, but needlessly embittered his relations with his fellow-men. None can dispute his place as one of the great men of his age and one of the Empire's finest Em-pire-builders, notwithstanding his inveterate habit of insubordination. And author and publishers alike may be felicitated on having placed his history so worthily before the world. The book is admirably produced, and, it is almost needless to add, is furnished with a good index, the arrangement of which is under the names of persons referred to in the course of the biography. The Lone Hand (Sydney) for the current month begins a new volume. The frontispiece is- a fine reproduction in colours of Percy F. S. Spence's painting, " Lost " — the worn-out wanderer in the desert, his water-can empty, abandoned to despair, the sole living object on the plain save his faithful dog. For the artist, and this should be counted to him for righteousness, has departed from convention. He has not represented birds of prey assembling in anticipation. James Edmond, in "The Great Experiment," starts out by telling the reader in effect that he is going to make his flesh creep. Apparently, he tries haid tj"be duly horrible, but succeeds only in being farcical. There are, however, some short stories worth reading. Mr. A*. W. Greig has an interesting illustrated article on aboriginal art, in which Sumatran influences are traced, and in " A Romance of Catalysis" Mr. C. A. Jeffries contributes a popular scientific article decidedly above the average. We notice that the surfaced papej; used in the magazine has been to a large extent supeiseded by a rougher kind, apparently from an Australian mill. One good result is the passing in large measure of process-wash in favour of open line-drawing and decoration. Halftones on such paper of course are impossible, and the sketches have greater artistic possibilities. Only for silhouette is the paper unfitted, as its texture interfeies with the solidity of the black. Many of the very finest articles in the Spectator during the days of Hutton and Townsend (says the British Weekly) were contributed by Miss Julia Wedg- J wood. Miss Wedgwood has allowed a ' selection to be made from these, and it will be published shortly by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton. Miss Wedgwood, as the niece of Charles Darwin and the intimate friend of Maurice, Erskine of Linlathen, and many others, had \ery special opportunities, and she has u&ed them nobly. '