LITERARY NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume C, Issue 11752, 2 December 1898, Page 2

LITERARY NOTES.

, ' [Correspondent “ Canterbury Times.”] LONDON, Sept. 30. . If “Roden’s. .Comer” fails to enhance materially Mr Henry Seton Merriman’s bril- • liant reputation as a novelist, it certainly 'will not detract therefrom. The story “ grips the reader in the first few pages (admirably ’calculated to arouse curiosity)', and never • 'slackens afterwards. In “With Edged ' .Tools ” Mr Merriman invented for the purjposes of his plot a phenomenally valuable /.tog named “ Simiacine,” which could only "be obtained from a certain remote plateau in .•Central.• Africa. ; In • “ Roden’s Corner ” he creates a mythical v substance called “ Mai - - “ganrite 3 ” supposed, to, be ah essential ingre- ' ‘ "client in the manufacturt' of paper.- Compounding malgainite is a dangerous industry, ■the workers quietly- developing symptoms 'similar to those of lead poisoning,, and dying ‘off in a few years.; The opening of the tale shows us a;nutnber of philanthropists bent on rescuing , the malgamiters. They have through a German chemist, Otto Yon Holden; discovered a prescription for the harmless manufaoture of the stuff, and they propose, in the sacred cause of charity, to start a factory abroad for these poor people. In ' due course, the building and a model village are erected on the lonely dunes near Schie’dam, m Holland, and malgamiters flock there - from all parts of the world. The enterprise ' proves a great success, as the charity mal.gamite .is cheap and good. Just, however, ' when things seem going swimmingly, two of ' the- directors, Tony Cornish and Major ■White, make a disagreeable discovery. Von Holzen pays the malgamiters better than ' ' they have ever been paid before, but instead of his new process being harmless to life, it is ten times more dangerous. Men, in fact, iare dying'off at the Works at a prodigious ■ -rate. Cornish and his friend thereupon institute inquiries. They, soon gather that under the guise of charity a huge mercantile coup -has been effected, a million of money ■ made and .the; malgamite market cornered. • -Being honest, the pair resolve to stop the ’ -job! °But You Holzen, backed by his dying • but greedy- crew of malgamiters, defies them. ■.Theft'begins a “ duel a I’outraiice” between Hhe-'chemist and Cornish./ Twice the latter’s ’• ’-Bfo'is dtteftipted, and twice he escapes by 'the’skin of his teeth. "The situation grows ' sitter and tenser with every chapter, till

an exciting “ denouement” is reached. What this is I shall not, of course, say. The foregoing, indeed, must quly be taken as the central thread of a narrative / which is strengthened by several love affairs, a vendetta and some admirable character studies. Cornish and White hear perhaps a family likeness to Meredith and Guy Oscard in “ With Edged Tools,” and the girls of the tale are nice rather than new. But Von Holzen, Percy Roden, the fatuous philanthropist, Lord Ferriby, and the paper manufacturers, are all first rate. When the next generation sum up Merriman they .will probably place “Roden’s Corner” above “In Kedar’s. Tents,” Its grip is certainly greater'. Apropos of the quality of “grip” winch Mr Merriman’s narratives possess so conspicuously, Sir .Walter Besant, lecturing the other day on “ Modem Books,” said the greatest quality a writer of fiction could possess was this “grip.” As an instance of the power of a writer over a reader, ho gave his .own experience when he first read “ The Light that Faded. ” He placed Budyard Kipling at the top of living writers, not only because he had always something to say, but because be- had this wonderful power of “ grip.” As an example of this quality he referred them to the marvellous recessional hymn which appeared in the “Times” last year, at a time when they were all intoxicated with the idea of their own country’s position. That hymn w'as a solemn warning to the nation, as solemn as the bell of St Paul’s, and it sank into their hearts, bringing them back to their senses. Whatever else he might or might not do, that hymn placed Rudyard Kipling’s works amongst those which would never die. I am quite with Sir Walter so far as the “ Recessional” goes. It is Kipling s high water mark in poetry, and will, no doubt, make him Laureate when Alfred. Austin joins the immortals. If, however, the Anglb-Indian had written nothing but “ The Light that Failed,” few would know much of him today. It is the reverse of a felicitous instance either of his “ grip ” or constrictive power. Here is a delicious story from the Manchester martyr, Brocklehurst s, brochure, “When I Was in Prison,” which Unwin has just -published. Mr Brocklehurst, I ought perhaps to explain, went to gaol as 'a protest against some local park regulations. The rule about literature in gaels-is that only books of moral helpfulness shall be given

to the prisoners. Mr Brocklehurst askedl for Shakspere. “ Can’t let you have Shakspere,” said the governor. “Well, -why s that?” was the protest. “ An who wrote ‘ Don Juan ’ cannot be a moral writer. Such was the governor’s cold verdict. Mr Brocklehurst had to be content with “ Euclid,” whose moral instruction is not very evident. The solution of the pseudonym of “Sydney C. Grier” has been better kept than such secrets usually are, and few till recently placed Miss Gleig, daughter of Rev G. R. Gleig, the author of “ In Furthest Ind ” and that admirable novel “ Peace with Honour'.” Miss Gleig’s new romance will be found fully as enticing as its predecessors. It is, in fact, a sequel to one of them (“ An Uncrowned King), being the further history of Thrada after Lord Caerieon’s adventures there. In “A. Crowned Queen” (the title of the new story), Lord Caerieon’s brother Cyril plays hero. Mass Gleig paints him as worldly, hard and eaten up with ambition, but his placid pluck, his fertile diplomacy, his shrewd common sense and his endless resource endear him to the reader. When, as Minister of the Household, Count Mutimer (Cyril’s Thracian title) begins to quarrel violently with the beautiful widowed Queen (whose son, the boy ' King has been entrusted by the defunct Otto George to his care), we know what to expect. Plots, rescue, escape, flight, and —love. Cyril triumphs over his enemies l for a time, but an old foe (Princess Ottillie, of “ An Uncrowned King”), eventually wrecks him politically’, and, his affection for the Queen collapses with failure. , He carmot forgive her for having disregarded his advice and ruined them both. Mr Robertson Nicoll is an astute critic, and when he declares that be would not quarrel with anybody who called a book a work of genius, one is at least assured that something worth reading has tinned up. This was the remark he made anent “ A Man of the Moors,” by Mr Halliwell Sutcliffe, whose new work Mr T. Fisher Unwin will publish during the autumn. “ Ricroft of Withens,” as the new novel is entitled, is a romance of fight and pillage. The action centres about Ling Crag Moor, a wild coiner of Yorkshire, during 1745-6. and is concerned with the rescuing of the Moorfolk from an intolerable bondage by one Christopher Ricroft, the master of Withens, a consummation which is indirectly, aided by Prince Charles. The characteristic note of the romance is the sharp contrast drawn between the usual life of the period and the life of the Ling Crag folk, who, in feelings, manners, and, fighting zest belonged to an older and more virile age. It has always been strongly’ suspected that Prince Charlie left his army at a critical point of the retreat, somewhere between Manchester and Kendal, but no previous tradition has accounted for his absence, an absence which is important from the standpoint of the romance, inasmuch as it led the Master of Withens to rid the Moor of its scourge. It would be interesting to know how many ' reviewers have read through Dr Moritz Busch’s three ponderous tomes on “Bismarck.” I frankly confess I have not, and I do not believe the majority’ of readers in your part of the world will care to do more than dip into them, Not but what there arc plenty of sensational passages, especially if abuse of our Queen, of the Empress Frederic, and of everytliing English, appeals to you. I never myself regarded Bismarck with enthusiasm, and, after skimming Busch’s prolix memoirs, it is difficult to, avoid the conclusion that he was an unmitigated brute as well us an unequalled statesman. A characteristic yarn I chanced on refers to an incident of the Franco-Prus-sian Avar, Lord Augustus Loftus then being our Ambassador at Berlin. It seems an attache of the Embassy, out walking Avith a lady, gesticulated in a friendly manner to some French prisoners confined in Spandau. They were set upon by Germans and most brutally treated. Here is Busch’s account: “ Holstein then related lioav certain people belonging to the English Embassy had behaved very unbecomingly outside the place where the French prisoners are confined in Spandau, and had fared badly in consequence. Cockerell was knocked doAvn and beaten black and blue, so that he afterwards looked ‘ quite as if he had been painted.’ Loftus did not at first want to intervene, blit" Avas ultimately induced by the other diplomats to enter'a complaint. ‘ Did they give this Cockerella sound hiding?’ asked Count Bill. ‘Oh, certainly,’ replied Holstein, ‘and Miss (name escaped me), who tried to interfere on his behalf, also received a few blows.’ ‘Well, I am glad Cockerell got a proper dressing,” said the Chief, ‘ it Avill do him good. I am sorry for the lady. But it is a pity that Loftus himself did not get thrashed on the occasion, as we should then be rid of him.” uertain painstaking litterateurs Avho have been making an examination of our denominational religious journals, both orthodox and unorthodox, seem sadly shocked at the absence of common-place Christianity’ apparent in their columns. Just at present, you are aware, a fierce battle is raging betAvixt High and Low Church, the latter having undertaken to eternally spiflicate the former. And the language in which they tnreaten would not disgrace the prize-ring. The Ritualists j reply that they will defend their altars Avith j firearms, if necessary, and both sides talk \ of assault Avith battery as though it were the | most virtuous of resorts. I have not space j to quote instructive extracts, but here is an 'advertisement culled from the principal evangelical journal, which your readers will appreciate; home, near the sea. Christian felloAVship ; os per day. Sickly persons desiring to trust the Lord will be considered financially. Apply — ; —.. Stamped envelope.” One of the novels going best at the libraries at present is “ Concerning Isabel Carnaby.'' A sixth edition has just come out. You, no doubt, heard at the time of publication that the authoress is a daughter of Sir Henry' PoAvler. Tne young lady some time ago gained kudos for a very pretty volume of verse. That she possesses talent in this direction the heat little dedication to “ Isabel Carnaby" evidences. Here it is : To Mine Own People: meaning- those within The-magic ring of home —my kith raid kin; And those with whom my soul delights to dwell— - Who walk with me as friends, and wish me well; And lastly those—a large, unnumbered band, Unknown to me —who read and understand. Of the three slight stories in Mrs Oliphant’s.“That Little Cutty,” etc., the best is “ Dr Barrere,” tne tale of a young surgeon Avho accidentally witnesses his fiancee’s brother committing a brutal murder, has to give damning evidence against him, and ultimately saves the youth from the gailoAvs by poisoning liim. No sooner, however, had the doctor preserved the name of the family thus daringly than a reprieve arrives. This naturally alters tbs position of things materially. Instead of abbreviating his friend’s life by five minutes only he has murdered him. One can scarcely wonder the shock unhinges Barrere’s mind, and that, instead of asking his betrothed’s opinion, he irrationally bolts, and is never heard of again. .This book, I must add, ought not to ha\’e been published at six shillings. The half-a-crown colonists .will be asked to pay for it is a full fair price for so little. Rudyard Kipling’s netv volume of stories

is to be called “The Day’s Work,” and will be published next month. The edition de luxe.of his works Avas completed hast Saturday Avith “ Captains Courageous.” The ordinary six-shilling editions of this excellent boy’s book, and of the “Jungle Stories,” still have prodigious sales. Mention of sales reminds me the sixtieth edition of Barrie’s “ Little Minister ” has just gone to press. “ The Day’s Work ” is not, I learn, to contain anything new, i.e., all its tales have spen iignt in magazines or papers. Among them Avill be “ My Sunday at Home,” concerning M’hicn a literary commentator ventures the opinion that iit is not a domestic Sabbartarian idyll. He is quite right; it is not. It is chiefly the account of the struggles and profanity of a navvy to whom*an emetic has been admistered by mistake. Among the otner stories in the book will be Mr Kipling’s exercise in American dialect, as spoken by the American horse—“ The Walking Delegate,” and “ The Maltese Cat.” I surmise, however, that you will consider one of the best tales in the collection to be

“ the Brushwood Boy,” a quaint dream notion AA'hich made a great impression when it appeared in the " Century” two years ago. .me penchant for neAv and luxurious editions of old favourites seems to be on the increase. This week no feAver than three are announced, viz., the Bronte novels, the Avorks of Fielding, and “ The Tatler.” The latter, edited by George Aitken, the chief authority on Steele, will be in four volumes, small demi-octavo, and bound in buckram. Price, 7s 6d a volume. This, in my opinion, is just 2s 6d too dear. The Fieldings (twelve volumes) are also priced at 7s 6d a volume, but only 750 sets arc to be issued, and as Constables are the printers, and Edmund Gosse has Avritten an introduction, the issue may go. The “ Thornton ” Bronte is extremely tempting. Though the volumes bulk rather large, they are pleasingly light, and no fault can be found with print and general get-up. Tne issue of ’the series will commence this month Avith “Jane Eyre” (two volumes), which Avill contain a new autogravure portrait of Charlotte Bronte. “ Wuthering Heights” (one volume) Avill be ready in October, and the publication of the Thornton edition Avill continue month by month. A special advantage lies in the fact teat any of the novels may be purchased separately. The price of each volume is 5s nett.

It Avouldbea terrible thing if, whilst still a young man, the brilliant anther of those marvellous efforts “The Time Machine” and “ The War of the Worlds ” were to be taken from us and from the wife he adores.; I regret, hoAvever, to learn that Mr H. G. Wells has more than once within these last few weeks been on the brink of the UnknoAvn. He is still very ill, but hopes are now entertained that Avith care he may pull round. Excessive cycling, AA’hich has of late been Mr Wells’s chief diversion,- seriously aggravated his illness. When taken ill Mr Wells was engaged on the novel at Avhich he has been working so long, and be hopes to finish it is soon as he is allowed to sit up in bed.