LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17078, 29 January 1916, Page 12

LIBER'S NOTEBOOK.

VARIOUS VERSE. "The Spell of Alpin," by John Christie, formerly well known in Wellington journalistic circles, is a lengthy and thoughtful poem, somewhat mystical and religious in tone, and containing lines which, .despite a somewhat awkwaril metrical form, possess no small gr*e of expression. I have only space for one quotation, fairly illustrative of the author's general style:— But well I remember how I slept,

And well I remember the lad}- kept

A mystic veil near my head, As though I were holy, being deadDead in my flesh, with soul afire, With deathless yearning and heart's desire, That seemed to bear mc higher and higher; While the faery plaid, with its magic fold, Warded away heat and cold, And made me feel that, day or night, Winter or summer, depth or Height,

Life or death, or any power, Could never again destroy the flower Of youth in tho soul or love in the heart, Nor ever agiin the glory depart In the way of mortal time or tide, But abide for ever as gods abide.

"The Battle of the World," by George Weddell (London, Elliot Stock), is a slender little sheaf of verse, mainly patriotic in subject and tone, inspired bv the Great War. I select for quotation the eloquently worded verses headed "If Bight be Might' : Pour forth your treasure, England! What to you Your wealth and strength, while in the balance lies Tho law of liberty and sacrifice, Made sa-crcd by the blood of Christ. Renew Your noblest faith that what is good and true Shall still prevail against the Powers of Hate, . Who o'er the world for self would dominate— Make slaves of all men for the Super-Few. Greatest on earth are these who serve the most; Not those who grasp, but "wisely-reckless fling . , , Heart, spirit, body into the glorious fight. Then, England, marshal up your mighty host! For victorv waits on those who 1 , fighting, sing "No long'er might is right, but Right is might." There is ample variety, both of subject and style, in Mr Bobert J. Bakewell's "A Coaster's Freight: Verse by an Old Salt" (New Plymouth. Thomas Avery). Much of Mr Bakewell's verseis inspired by a fine and vigorous spirit of Imperialism. This bring so, it is curious that the author should have thought lit to print the lines, headed "The Betrayal," written in 1909. in which the Defence Act is unsparingly denounced. The anti-militarist, especially of tho S.D.P. brand, who may read such lines as the following—

Oh, ye to whom, we trusted liberties, The sacred heirlooms of past centuries, 'The right and freedom that our fathers won With blood!.. Oh, what is this that ye have

done ? Sold !>s German •princelings did of yore, Their Hessipn serfs to wage another's war, And forged the weapon tyrants ever wield, That never hath for Freedom proved »

Shield! will, I am afraid, be disagreeably astonished, in another poem, to find the author pouring out his scorn and abuse of the "Social Democrats" : Here's dominion for the ruling, And a people sleek and fat; AVorkers ripe for our befooling, Sober wealth to srird them at.

Not a folly* but we'll feed it, Not a malady, but still We'll find some sottish brain to breed it, Cure more vexing than the ill. Finally the "Social Democrats" are informed that:—Insignificance shall fold you From retribution perilous, Tho' Liberty with loathing hold you Down the ages—infamous. As might be expected, Mr Bakewell's powers of versical denunciation have a fine scope in the war. Some of the poems are in lighter vein; others, such as "The Commonwealth Inaugeration," commemorate historic events. It is a. pity that the author has not thought fit to dato his poems. The opening verses. "Armageddon," are fiercely denunciatory, not only of Bussia :

Despot, dost think with Cossack-driven ' hordes , • ~ To straiten Freedom s realm with servile ; swords! but Germany: Kaiser, with vain imaginings, art so bold ( As wrest the trident from the Sea-queen's hold? and France, thou uoor mimic of fair Freedom's Btffct*- '

Deem'st now the time is ripe to glut thy hnto? and must have been written some years a"-o. Yet to present-day readers tlie title may not unnaturally suggest the Great War now in progress. Mr Bakewell's muse is apt to run a little wild at times, but ho has certainly the command of a very rich vocabulary, and his lines have often an agreeably vigorous swing.

MISCELLANEOUS. "Through. Terror to 'Triumph" is the title of a colleoisoa of Mr Lloyd George's war speeches, published by Hodder and Stonghton (Christchurch, Whit-combo and Tombs). Our readers will remember that several passages from the preface specially - written by the British Minister for this collection were thought worthy of being cabled out to New Zealand. Tho speeches should bo read by all who desire to have Britain's case put forward with conspicuous honesty, sincerity and truth. (New Zealand price Is (5d.) Messrs Constable and Co., London, send us four well printed and neatly bound little volumes containing a series of short addresses to young men on personal religion delivered in the College Chapel of Harvard' by Francis Greenwood Peabody, Plummcr Professor of Christian Morals in that famous American University. Two of the volumes aro devoted to the sermons delivered in the mornings, one to the afternoon discourses, and tho fourth to thoso delivered at tho Sunday evening services. Tho various addresses deal with religious and theological questions from a broad, unscctorian standpoint, and reflect a spirit of charity, humanity and practical Christianity as creditable to the professor as it is likely to bo of benefit to those who peruse his simply worded but thoughtful discourses.