ABOUT BOOKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12570, 3 August 1901, Page 4

ABOUT BOOKS.

“War's Brighter Side,” by Julian Ralph. (Pearson’s Colonial Library. Christchurch ; Whitcombe and Tombs.) Of the multitudinous war bocks of the last year or two. none will have greater vogue than this story of the “ Friend ” newspaper, edited and published for. the army, under military supervision, by a staff of Avar correspondents at Bloemfontein. It Avas a new experiment in .Avar, to commandeer a newspaper in the enemy’s Capital -and use -it as a kind of Army Gazette. The'idea seems to have been conceived in the fertile brain of the Oom-niandcr-in-Chicf himself, and Lord ■ Stanley, the Press Censor, conveyed his wishes to Mr Ralph and his colleagues, and, .with a few friends, backed the venture. It iras in every way a remarkable achievement, the bare story of Avhich is an exciting romance, and Mr Ralph tells it in a bright, interested planner, for it was to as to the other Avorkers, a novel experience. Mr Kipling, of course, Avas cno of the editors, of Avhom there Averc four, but a host of contributors hriped to fill the columns of this wonderful daily. Mr .A. B. Paterson and Dr Ccnan Doyle Avcre both proud to be accepted as helpers. Especially' interesting to a journalist are the struggles of the editors Avith the Dutch compositors, and from a purely professional point of view the bock is lull of good things. The everyday reader, hoAA'evcr, will enjoy' the copious extracts from the paper, the' “ illustrated ” personal notes in which the. same block .served as the portrait of half a dozen different celebrities. The “Kopje Book Maxims” and “Fables for the Staff’' are highly -amusing, and inimitable- ’in its why is the story of tho young subaltern Avhose orderly was a marvellous cook, and whose -meals secured him extraordinarily’ rapid promotion. But it is sheer Avaste of tune to read about the. book; it ought' to be read at once.

“The Vicar of St Luke’s.” By Sibyl Creed. Longman’s Colonial Library; Auckland, Upton and Go. There is. originality and strength in this novel, • and though the telling of it is marred by a* lack of art and by a certain crudeness of thought, the story is undoubtedly a good one. The author explains that it is no deliberate Romish pamphlet, but, the reader will find it hard not to see in it a, counterblast to the “Lest avg Forgets” of the unbending Protestant fiction-Avritcrs. Ils moral is that the truly soulful religionist must ultimately find! himself in Rome. But tho clerical theme is neb unduly obtraded, for the Reverend Victorian Goring, for all his celibate vieAVS, falls in love Avith an unhappy girl, Avhose doom is obvious from the beginning. There is some really admirable character work in Lena Merton and the two curates, Docker and Merton,, and the development of the story reveals - the author’s unusual poivers. But who is Sibyl Creed? ...

“ The Golden Wang-ho.” By Fergus Hume. Long’s Colonial'Library; Christchurch, Whitcombe, and Tombs.

This is a typical Fergus Hume story, Avith perhaps less of the detective element and more of adventure than usual. The possession of a Chinese idol leads some pleasant, innocent people into all kinds of unpleasant predicaments and 1 dangers. Crime and excitement, with, a little suffering and a little love, make up the sum of a* readable story.

“Another Woman’s Territory,” t* by ‘ “(Alien.” Constable’s Colonial Library.

Mrs Baker’s English is not always strictly grammatical, and frequently it is far from smooth, but she tells a good story well. The theme of “Another Woman’s Territory ”is strong enough,, although the treatment is essentially feminine, and with that Ave may cease to . find fault with “ Alien’s ” -work. A broken - doAvn, ruined genius, and an author who. is nearly a genius, Avith several Avomen, combine to play pranks with fate, for the genius ■ Avrites ai book, which the author publishes as his oavu Avork. The author marries the genius’s sister, and the denouementJs brought about by a variation of the “Hamlet” play scene. There, is a good deal of mild tragedy in the story, but Avhen a Avoihan’s scorn begins to fall on a nian like “ whip lashes on quivering flesh,” it is time to begin* skipping.

At the time of his death Sir Walter Defiant aviis engaged on'two Avorks concerning London. One Avas an historical survey of North London and the other was the great “ Survey of London,” at which he had worked for about seven years. This latter, originally intended to be published in tAventy volumes, but afterwards reduced to ■eight, Avas intended as a new history dealing comprehensively Avith tha Avhole subject. So thorough Ava-s Sir Walter’s* scheme that there Avas a perambulation of the whole county, -as well -as cf -the city proper, in the course of which every ancient building, every historical association, every institution, such as church, , school, hospital, almshouse, museum, toAvn hall, and theatre, and every great • house of business, AA r ero duly note'd. The Avork 'Avill' shortly be completed, a portion at least being already in type. -Sir. Walter had also AVritten a novel, as yet unnamed, dealing with London life in the eighteenth century.

In the. Sraulc Club smoking-room, says a London journal, Sir Walter Besant once did AA-hat under all the circumstances Avas certainly an act of generosity—wrote to his publishers?, Messrs Chat to and Windus, a letter of introduction for the young novelist Aviio, more 'than anyone, Avas to change the vogues and fashions on Avhich Sir Walter flourished. Until then Stevenson had done badly, from a financial standpoint, Avith his Avorks. Tho talk turned upon, publishers, of whom one after another was named. Bulwer’s delightful Saunders and Otley dilemma Avas recalled —" It you .are Otley, damn Saunders; if you are Saunders, damn Otley.” Stevenson improved the occasion, mentioning the Christian name of a publisher as 'that of “ a right good fclloAV,” and then citing his surname as that of a rascal. A correspondent pre*sent on the occasion Avrites: “I ahA'ays regarded this fanciful duality of the publisher as the germ of the Hyde-Jekyll creation of later years.”

Among Avorks of fiction 'recently announced are “ Mostly Fools and a Duchess,” by Lucas Gleeve, “ A Millionaire's Love Story,” by Mr Guy Boob'hby, and “My Brilliant Career,” AA r hich Mr Henry Lawson declares to be “ a book true to Australia--the truest I e\- , ar read.” “My Brilliant Career” is by a young- lady av'uo has spent most of her life in the Australian bush. Miss Agnes Laut’s “Lords of the North” is to appear in the Dollar Library of American fiction. At Willoughby, on the London road, about five miles from Rugby, stands the “ Four Crosses ” Inn. The name is not extraordinary, but its history is curious. Originally it was tho “Three Crosses.” But Dean SAvift once called at the house, and, misliking his reception by the hostess, he scratched this couplet on the AvindoAVpane-: You have three crosses at your door; Harg up your AA’ife, and you’ll have four. So tho name Avas changed. The pane, it is said, is still to be seen, to witness the truth of tho story. The couplet, by tho Avay, is sometimes quoted in a different’ form, tho story being that there Avere four cross-roads near the inn and that the sign was originally the “Pour Crosses.” The Variant of the couplet is as follows ; Pool, to put up four crpsses a't your door! Put up -your Avife. She’s crosser than all four. Mr R. A. Loughnan has compHed for the Lands Department a A r eiy interesting and bookon '’the -(geography;^

statistics, land system and scenery of the colony,- adding motes on the sport provided hy mountain and river. There is a brief account of the Maoris. The book is splendidly and fully illustrated, and Mr Loughnan has done the work with exceptional ability, connecting and displaying the facts and figures at his disposal with his wellknown 'skill, and, facility. ,