SLITERARY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 9, 10 January 1920, Page 15

SLITERARY NOTES

"The Enchanted Packman," by Alister M'Clumie (Whitcombe and Tombs) tells of the adventures of "the frolicsome Three" in fairyland through the medium of their father. He tells them story of the packman "who useel to travel all over the world selling- his wares." He had many strange experiences, arid these form the subject of the story. It is ab-sorbing-in its interest for juvenile readers who are not yet made sceptics through cold-fact influence of the schoolteaching of the cinema. The illustrations in colour and line by Alice Poison are exqiiiflite and calculated to implant in children a love for good art. The book is a highly creditable New Zealand production.

Sir James Barrie was elected Lord Reetpr of St. Andrews University—his Alma Mater —by the students, the result of the poll being as follows :—Sir "J. M. Barrie, 283; Marquis. o£ Bute, 139; majority, 144.

" 'My son,' said the philosopher, being meditations of the late Epaphroditus M'Tavish." This is the full title of a collection of rather clever and often apt, if sometimes trite, locutions. They are printed in. black letter. The following specimens of these pearls of wisdom will illuetrate their character.: —

"We are told in the Scriptures to visit widowe, t and. to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. But it is a hard/job to tlo both." "The scriptural account of the creation would hav'o us believe that tht, distinction between man and woman was a mere afterthought of the Creator. Yet is is the source of most o( the interest aud beauty of life." "Many it man thinks that the universe has gone wrong, when it is only his digestion*'' "The contentment, of mankind is largely dv» to the fact that the universe is so far governed by chance rather than by justice, that the least and meanest of us may hopo for a better destiny than he deserves." The publishers are Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs.

The Rev. Harold Bell Wright, writer of "When a Man's, a Mar,"—a popular work in New Zealand—owes as. much as any man to reaJly skilful advertisement of his bocks. Tho leading American reviewers deny that Mr. Wright's work is literature entitled to rank with, say, Hawthorne or Poe. The New York Sun thus ' pithily, describes Mr. Wright's work :—"The people who read and enjoy Mr. Wright's books are not people who care for a, good story Well t&ld. but people who want spiritual sustenance, and who are not getting it in their daily Jives; Perhaps they ought to get it in Borno other way;, that's a matter of opinion. The formula which pucli people most often use—"l doji't know anything nbor.t literature, but I kiidw what I like"—-is, after all, not quite accurate. They don't know anything, perhaps, about literary art, but fhry know what they nestl.'' Theif jjistiiict is an infallible guide.''