CURRENT LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17651, 11 December 1920, Page 1 (Supplement)

CURRENT LITERATURE.

NOTES ON NEW BOOKS. BT CRITIC. ■ Among the men who largely influenced society in the nineteenth century there was probably not one more talked of than ! John Euskin. His aims were high and j noble; he scorned much that had to do j with money ; he aimed at the spiritual education of the world. He was austere, ■ yet to some extent he was practical. j And the amazing fact is that an author so treasured twenty or thirty years ago is very little spoken of or written of, since his death. Is he going to pass out of j memory ? Was he not prophetic enough. Not wide enough in his applications to make appeal to a generation that is used to the more exciting diet of war and revolution and independence and practical economics? Will he emerge again when the millions have again settled to . some approach of harmony? It is an interesting speculation. THE HARVEST OP RUSKIN. . " The Harvest of Ruskin"—by John W. Graham (Allan, Unwin, London). —Mr. Graham undertakes the task of placing Buskin's present and future place in the world of sociology. He sympathetically estimates the result of the writer's teaching in the fields of economics, social reform, of education and religion in the light of the present day views upon Capital and Labour, and upon religion. He reminds us of the message •of Fors Clavigera—summarises it for us of to-day. How many will recall Buskin's idea of permitting marriages only to those who passed examination for domestic qualifications. He would provide them for seven years with an income from the State. * Each person must hold only as much land as he could really use; the factory system and the crowding into cities he detested; he wished electricity to supersede gas and smoke; war he would nave managed by personal encounter between military aristocrats of both countries. No clergyman to be paid for preaching. He would allow to no man the right to admonish anybody until be had previously earned his dinner by productive work. The deadly sin of business was, according to Buskin, "occult stealing, the making of had goods, adulteration, the passing off sham articles.'" 'Tradesmen he would have in guilds, to regulate prices and qualities, having bought land and buildingsvery similar to what in Britain is now known as guild Socialismsome very prophetic suggestions being embodied in his artistic, thoughtful writings. The author suggests a simple good scheme of the present public duty of a good Ruskinian. "He will support the labour colonies of the Salration Army, and small holdings associations ; he will invest in garden city stock; he will support all plans for humanising and _ strengthening edSucatifon, for town planning and smoke abatement. He will help all peace societies And the League of Nations, he will clip the wings of capital by super-tax and death duties; he will be a mild and reasonable socialist; will provide art galleries and museums well housed,"— with other wider results of education.-. Mr. Graham's book is a forcible reminder of the influence of John Buskin upon' the taste and humanity of Britishers. GENERAL FICTION.

" Sheepskins and Grey Russet"— E. Temple Thurston (Cassell, London; Champtaloup and Edminston, Auckland). This is a nature hook, demonstrating the power for good of the innocent things of the country. 'It tells, in narrative form, of the doings of Cruikshank and Bellwattle (man and wife) on their country farm. The. author adds a pathetic side when he decides that .Bellwattle, so essentially a mother, shall be for over childless, devoting her maternal side to young chicks and the like. One feels that he strikes an inartistic note when he introduces the modem surgical operation. Otherwise, it is a dainty effort'; aided by charming line sketches by Emile Vcrpilleux. , '

"The Claws of the Dragon*'— G. S. do Morant (Allen,.Uriwin, London).— An unconvincing storv of the marriage of a young officer of" the Chinese Embassy in. Paris to a beautiful aristocrat, Monique de Rosen. The author sees nothing odd in this facial sin, which puts everything, to the normal reader, out of perspective. Moniquo -i'js: despised and rejected by Ming-ni's' female relatives, and she finally has leave .: China and return to her tiresome mother in Paris. There she reluctantly consents to Ming-ni's second marriage with a 'Chinese slave whom he brings to Europe.. With the birth of the child of Nelumbo, Monique becomes kind to the little mother: and when she next visits the parental Chinese Ijonie she bears the welcome news of her own child coming. The tolerance of the Author is not pleasing to British readers; and we would have thought that a Frenchman, might have been sensible of the virtues of the East without desiring marriage s between r races so differing in customs and traditions. V Tho. Ancient Allan"— by H. Rider Haggard (Cassell, London; Champtaloup and Edminston, Auckland).i-With a greater measure of success than his latest effort promised, the author of " She" again plunges Allan Quater'main into the Whirlpool ,■ of ancient African custom. By smoking ; "Taduki," Lady Randall and Quatermain becomes Shakaba, a noble Egyptian and Lady Amada, a priestess of IsiS. -~. His "boast that he has killed fifty three lions, draws* down on Shakaba the derision of a Persian king. He is bidden to enter the lair-of hungry beasts and bring back. a dead lion. He bbevs; but hatred and malice are abroad. | He kills more lions than the king, arid further insults the monarch. .He and -his dwarf slave suffer imprisonment. : ,."■■■" Thence onward their adventures are full of excitement. , ~<■.. -*• ' " These Who '' Smiled*'—by ' Percival Gibbon (Cassell, London; Champtaloup and Edminston, Auckland). —A volume of remarkably good short stories, told very pithily. -The opening one deals with the German invasion into Italy. The enemy is man-hunting and its officers are disconcerted by the fact that under insult the Italians smile. Later they always manage to forestall the German bv committing suicide. One, Jocannic, "known as Captain Hahn's "Judas," endeavours to win the friendship of the Contessina, who is interested in each prisoner. It is she who explains the smile of the victims. Jovannic, a' creature of mixed bloods, presumes on her friendliness and offers her insult. " Her sad, ripe mouth relaxed, all her grave face softened, the profound pity of the martyr who prays lor those who know not what they do " was alight in her face; the terrible mil'd mirth of those who are assured of victory —these slaves themselves like an ensign. She smiled." to Another good, storv is "The Dago;" there are some excellent sailor varns. Another is of a. trick dog, who insists upon being fed before the men ; there are stones of Russia, of Paris—truly a cosmopolitan collection—all are good. MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS. "La Petit H-ord"—by Anne Evenfell and Katie Spalding (Houghton, Mefflin, New York; Australasian Publishing Co., Sydney).— very graphic account" of a nursing sister's experiences in Labrador. It is a. fine "testimony to the volunteer work performed in these corners of the world: everv detail is most interesting. " How to" Keep Pit"— F. J. New- ! man, M.B. (Angus, Robertson. Sydney).— | A small book, consisting of two" lectures I given to the boys of the R.A. Naval Brigade at 'Geelong. The . author crystallises much knowledge into its pages. " How to Conduct's Meeting"—by John .Biffg (Allen, Unww, London). —The author explains the formal procedure in parliamentary practice. His little book should be useful for associations desiring correct information on all points concern-: vug debating.