NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16098, 11 December 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

BY CRITIC. What we know of socialism has infected two classes of people —those who are not superabundantly endowed with this world's goods, and those who sincerely believing in the brotherhood of man wish to share what they have with the less fortunate, and wish also to fight the battles of their poorer brothers. Of the two these latter may he the more commendable, inasmuch as they know what they are sacrificing, whereas the other socialist theorises about that which he has not. It is certain —whether these reformers have or have not found the right solution of many problems—that there is in the older countries a feeling of revolt, against many of the old conditions, and a determination that no one class shall necessarily be at the mercy of any other class. There has been so much discussion around the subjects, " class war," " proletariat." " brotherhood of man.'' that by their very familiarity these very terms have somewhat weakened the cause (or which those who use them most are struggling. Meantime, though partly suspended by the exigencies of war and its drain upon the manhood of the nation, various experiments towards a mere ideal condition of human affairs are being made with what results only those who live long may judge, and some important writers have woven interesting stories round various aspects of socialism. In " The Freelands"—(Heinemann, London : Robertson, Melbourne'—that eminent novelist. John Galsworthy, has again set the problem of what a man shall do to assist his neighbour and how much lie may be rewarded thereby. Since he is forced to draw some kind of conclusion, he decides upon that of ingratitude and resentment on the part of the poor towards the youth who had incited them to rebel against what he construed as tyranny on the part of the aristocrat, which con- . lusion leaves things much as they were. Rut in the meantime, apart from the purpose of his novel, he has written work which Lis sustained interest and much study of different types of men and women. The three brothers Freeland are distinct variants of a type ; their wives are excellent delineations of women .whose lives and whose aims are as far apart as the ivies. There is the self-satisfied, successful business man. with his ambitious wife, bent upon a title for her husband, and fixed in her ideal of week ends which are to include every variety of clever guests : there is the radical brother who lives in a cottage and works with his hands, while his wife is a fierce socialist of more than ardent temperament, and with great scorn of the idle rich ; there is the official brother, who sees only red tape, and there is the author, who is an eternal compromise, and who has a wife who strives for the mean in comfort and pleasant living. The radical has a son and a daughter, who are firebrands, and so burn their own fingers in trying to assist the poor against the rich. Round these with the love interest of the youth Derek for his milder cousin Neddn, and woven amongst all the doings of this family circle is the problem at which Mr. Galsworthy nibbles so pleasantly for us. But his solution is as unsatisfactory as that of other novelists, however he mav. on the way to it, have "given us to think." He is always very well worth readinsr, and more than less, bis is always a tilt at our existing conventions.

" Alice and a Family"by St. John Ervine (Bell, London ; Wildman and Arey. Auckland) —is an amusing little story of an East London household, who establish themselves in a modest business. When Alice comes upon the scene Mrs. Nudds is dying, ■ and Mr. Nudds- has broken his arms'.' Alice attends to the domestic side, em-enrages Nndds to put in a claim for compensation, and with the sum paid over induces Nudds to buy a stationery and newspaper bnsiness. Then she plans to marry her mother, a widow, to the hapless widower: and the methods which she adopts to make him see things in the light of matrimony make the humour of the book. Needless to say, she accomplishes her aim, chiefly by forcing on the unfortunate family the contrast between her cooking (her masterpiece constantly repeated be in 7 an indigestible concoction whirh she calls "stoo"), and that of her mother. "The Stanhope Gate Mystery"by Robert >tachray (Bell, London ; WiMman and Arey, Auckland). —The Socialist interest runs through the story of murder and blackmail, though not unduly influencing the characters. Sir Francis Fortune has made millions in Canadian railways. A financier named Ridgway calls upon him, threatens to disclose a disgraceful episode unless he is paid £200,000. The financier's body is found next day by a young Socialist who is in love with Fortune's daughter. Another Socialist loves Fortune's poor niece. The beautiful poor girl prefers a marquess, ■ bat Ida Fortune loves the rejected suitor. So much for the love interest. The main thread of the story follows the accustomed details of unravelling the murder mystery. THE " CHATTERBOX " ANNUALS. The " Chatterbox" group of annuals (Wells, Gardner, Darton, and Co., London), is known throughout the Englishreading world as the best and brightest of its class, fascinating and instructing generation after generation of children, and easily holding first place among Christmas-time publications for the young folk of various ages. The new " Chatterbox" itself contains over 400 large pages and nearly 300 illustrations, with twelve coloured plates; everything is good and suitable and the editing is as careful and commendable as ever; it is better than ever, which is the highest possible praise. " Sunday and Everyday," with over 400 large pages, 250 new illustrations, and four coloured plates, continues its admirable work of helping engender love of Sabbath observance in the receptive minds of the young. " The Pri2e," with 100 illustrations and 12 coloured plates, is published at various prices to suit all purchasers and is undoubtedly among the best and cheapest of holiday annuals for boys and girls. "Leading Strings," in large type, full of pictures and of easy words, keeps its place as the baby's annual. " From Uncle Jim's Scrap. Book," the Chatterbox news box, tells of thrilling adventures, with notes and news from many lands, the romance of nations and of history, and many other arresting features of our wonderful world. Each one of these five popular juvenile annuals is unique in its particular class.

OTHER FICTION

Jeffrey Farnol has captured our al'•l^ C R^ ra n-T ; ai ?. d tho£ * wh ° know The Broad Highway " will alwavs turn with anticipation to any work from hi" hT- £» h I S te * c P r °d«twn is "Beltane the Smith" (Sampson Low. Lo ndon . Robertson, Melbourne). But why did he ; forsake the modern for the medical' A few writers, and only a few, can ever hope to be successful in the antiquated style of wording. With all due admiration for the patience which this popular writer has given to the study of earlv Enghsh times, and for the meticulous care which he has bestowed upon obsolete phraseology he fails to hold the attention. Incident there is in abundance but, overcrowded by excess of wordv description. One loses interest in the "characters unless one reads steadily every word ; and this in days when fast-moving novels are easily obtainable, we are finding it increasingly difficult to do. As to whether Beltane the Smith " amply repays for this cose.attention-* ell. those who appreciate Jeff rev Famol will be tempted to others will h h3t ff, he * ives ' a " d l the others will be well advised to first read his earlier novels. "The Extra Dav '* l.» n„ Blackwood .MacmiC wood has a vein all his own, the weird vision of things hidden from the mundane

He peoples the world with spirits, spirits that live in trees, fairies who dance round it • ren ' lm P aJ P able presences that fill the air when the too ordinary mind ■«*»•. feels > bears nothing. He gives children something to search for, he opens | to them another world. This storv. while I less successful than some that "he has | written, inasmuch as it is not quit© clear i in its explanation of the mysterious extra* ! day, is yet very characteristic of his skill. ! One knows how children are always find ing bed-time too early, are always "wishing I for some time entirely their own without I any restriction from parents and nurses. I Well, the author finds for them a whole I extra day between bed-time and uprising, | in which only their favourite grown-ups •ire there to amuse the youngsters, and ; play as children with them, and the rej straining influences are all happily absent. I In such a limited held it is surprising j that this fertile author can still find j stories to tell us.

"Interned," by Captain Manning (Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchnrch). — This is a happy set of short stories, beginning with one written in war vein. Humour runs through all, and the author makes his points smartly, and often surprisingly. Most of the tales have seen the light in various newspaper; but it has been certainly worth while to publish them in book form, for they introduce a very bright and pleasant reading to the general public. All are stories of the sea. with the element of joviality that we so commonly associate with men who are sailors.