TELLING AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 133, 2 December 1931, Page 8

TELLING AUSTRALIA

Mr. Norman Lindsay is evidently annoyed with Australia. The banning of his book, "Red Heap," rankles; and from New York he is telling Australians what he thinks of them. His article from which an extract has been cabled concludes: "In Australia disgust and despair are destroying or alienating the young impulse which should create." He quotes also a remark made to him by Melba about the "horrible people of this country." Melba came into prominence once before with the story, denied immediately after publication, of her advice to Clara Butt: "Sing 'em muck." Melba cannot now justify or excuse her criticism, but Norman Lindsay is alive—very much alive—and his plain speaking, and the patriotic Australian retorts thereto, may be entertaining. Recently "The Times" Literary Supplement in a page review of literature in Australia wrote? — Out of the first hundred years of Australian, life, therefore, we have accumulated towards a national literature a few beautiful lyrics, two noble patriotic poems, and some exuberant doggerel. And further on:— In the mass of material usuallycalled "Australian liitoraturo " ... the part which most firmly claims to bo called literature is least Australian. These are harsh judgments. Fortunately for the peace of the British Empire the condemnation of Australia comes chiefly from Australians. Mr. Norman Lindsay, having begun as critic of his fellow-countrymen, will probably continue the work, and this will become a private fight. But what does Mr. Lindsay mean when he writes: "Australia is a country packed into a violent time-factor for the clarified analysis of its present state of mind"? It sounds like German metaphysics. Possibly it would be more intelligible in German.