CURRENT LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 6 (Supplement)

CURRENT LITERATURE.

NEW BOOKS.

BY CRITIC. Ethnology as a subject invites and retains the interest of many; as a science it i s apt to fail from the human tendency to generalisation. It is So closely linked with history and with the accident of prehistoric discovery, that the conclusions arrived at by its devotees can never be finally accepted, for the simple reason that an ancient relic of to-morrow may upset the calculated supposition of to-day. Theories also, of the meaning and origin of certain customs, are very largely open to difference of opinion. With these and similar limitations, however, the study of ancient races, of their customs, and ol their folk-lore, will continue to hold abundant fascination.

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. " The History of Human Marr'age"— by Edward Weslermarck (.Macmillan, London).—Professor Westermarek's work i s not new. It was first written in 1891, luii il lias been subjected to such critical revision as to bring it right up to date. To travels,, all its arguments is not possible in a small space- for it is a weighty production of three volumes: and the field of its research is the whole world—with a singularly complete range of history. Tradition, 'the observations and theories of dozens of writers and explorers, observation of native peoples living to-day, tho acceptations of great biologists—these and other means havo been most thoroughly, patiently and one would conjecture, exhaustively read, studied, and commented upon. 'Comparisons with the animal world in the reproductive cycle, studies of phallic rites as well as of later religious festivals, the customs of polygamy, polygvny, polyandry, and group marriage, are covered. "The disproportion in the sexes is very fully discussed with reference to many native peoples, some writers inclining to the view, that where polyandry exists the male children outnumber tho female. The arguments are not conclusive, and the author, quotes Dusing and Plos's as adducing the theory that abundance of food is generally associated with comparatively more female offspring. " Inter-mixture of race." again, " is in favour of female births." Westermarek's personal views on divorce are of interest at the present time. " It, is a widespread belief," he writes, " that divorce is the enemy of marriage, and if made too easy might prove destructive to the v °ry institution of the family. This view T cannot share. I look upon divorce as the necessary remedy for misfortune and a s a means of preserving the dignity of marriage by putting an end to unions which are a disgrace to its name. The existence of marriage does not depend upon laws. If the main thesis of this work is correct, if marriage is not an artificial creation but an institution based on deep-rooted sentiments, conjugal and parental, it will last as long a s these sentiments last. And should they ever cease to exist no laws in the world could save marriage from destruction."

CHURCH MATTERS. "Painted 'Windows"—by "A Gentleman with a Duster" (Mills and Boon. London). —" Bv means of a study in religious personality, I seek in these pages to discover a reason for the present rather ignoble situation of the Church in the affections of men,'' writes the author. "It is in the foremost, nations oj the world, not in the most backward; in the most Christian nations, not the most pagan, that we find unintelligent conditions of industrialism which lead to social disorder, and a vulgar disposition to self assertion which makes for war;" with which generalisation he goes on to study, somewhat caustically, the personalities" of Bishop Gere. Dean Inge, Father Knox, and Bishops Hensou and Temple. .Miss Maude Royden, Dr. Orchard, Bramwell Booth. Canon Barnes, i and Dr. Sclbie. from an interesting group. I His most outspoken, most attractive i studies are of Bramwell Booth and Miss Rovden. Of Booth he alleges that he was ever the firebrand of the Salvation movement, that undoubtedly he drove his father to fling restraint to the winds, and to go in for religion as if it were indeed the only thing in the, world that counted. His picturesque father and mother were the humanity of that movement, but their son was its first impulse, of spiritual fanaticism. The father was the dramatic showman of this movement, the son its fire. The mother endowed it with the energy of a deep and tender emotion, the son provided it with machinery. He is pure mind, a practical mind taut with attention. The studies are, illuminating and the concluding chapter reveals a deep religious purpose. " Anglicanism" —by Bishop Henslev Henson (Macmillan. London)---discusses very forcibly the position of those modern Anglicans, * self-named Anglo-Catholics, who are, he allages, veering more and more to the doctrines of the Church of Rome.

FICTION. " The City of Endtess Night"—by Milo Hastings (Dodd, Mead, New York; Whitcombe and Tombs, Christchurch). —An American scientist, exploring the potash mines of Stassfurt, findg a diary in a dead man's pocket. The Germans have been driven underground and the world knows nothing of their doings. He determines to learn. So impersonating the dead Captain' Armstadt, he is given various privileges. Among them is that of paternity. But he is not attracted by the wives allotted to him. Temporary attracted by a girl on the free level ho discovers her fickleness. Then he love's one. Marguerite, who, against authority's decrees, reads earnest books, and is apparently the parlner of Zimmern, with whom the American has become friendly. Having exhausted the sightseeing of the underground city, and haviiyj found out the interesting fact that the affection between his two friends is strictly platonic. an old sweetheart of the real Armstadt threatens to exposo the fact that (his is an interloperj and realising his danger the American volunteers to make a survey of ore deposits. Instead ho is asked to go to the Arctic in a submarine. An admiral rather spoils the plan, but he is dressed in Forrest's clothes and sent back as a prisoner. There remain Marguerite and her lover, who pass out into the world. " A Knight in Paris"— by Mrs. Horace Tremlett (Hutchinson, London).—A French count and his son become jewel thieves. They use as an innocent foil, a young French countess who is blind. She, when she conies of age, is to inherit a valuable diamond necklace. Her uncle, the count, is greedily waiting for this; but there intervenes an Englishman. From him. however, the thieves steal the diamonds, and he sacrifices his fortune to Aline. By an operation she recovers her sight, and eventually she and the English knight meet again. "The Kingfisher"—by Phyllis Bottoms (Collins London). —Jim Barton is a boy who kills his father to save his mother from the drunkard's continual ill-treat-ment. After three years in a penitentiary he is helped to education by a young cietyryman. He becomes a prominent Socialist, and opens a kind of Church in the East End. Coming into contact with certain aristocrats he sees Viola Egerton, whom lie loves. While she is in his church, Eliza Barton. Jim's unreformed sister, steals Viola's pearl necklace. This does not affect Viola's love for the Socialist. Her father offers (o back the scheme for' the dockers if he will give her up. Eliza comea again, into the story asktnpj Viola to help her to escape from the police. So the aristocratic girl drives tho outcast to Plymouth—only to find the law awaiting her. Jim Harton's sister goes to prison and Viola Egerton insists upon sharir >; Jim's life. 'Hie novel is a powerful . one, well written with clear characterisation, and abundanco of incident. Perhaps the writer goes to extremes in her ignoring of social barriers; but this gives an clement of great strength to the story.

ANIMAL IMMIGRANTS.

IN NEW ZEALAND. Much interest attaches to n biological volume which a veteran New Zealand naturalist. Mr, S. M. Thomson, has written on the many species of animals and plants which have been introduced into New Zealand since these islands were first visited by Captain Cook in 1769. Mr. Thomson's book aims at being a comprehensive account, based on written evidence and on his own observations for half a century, of the varying fortunes of at least six hundred apocies of animals and of many species Of plants which have been imported into Now Zealand $inco Cook's day. It is interesting to nolo at onco Mr. Thompson's remarkable conclusion that there is no definite permanent change in any introduced species, despite many earlier assertions to the contrary. Mr. Thomson has found that rabbits were brought from Sydney before 1838. The stoats and weasels introduced in large numbers to kill the rabbits also disposed of many of the native birds, though it is noted that some of the birds have learned how Lo kill the stoats.

Introduction of the Pig. The first European animal to fiilPr New I Zetland, other than the ship's black rats, I "-iis probably the pig. Cook put fiomo I ashore, and other British visitors gave pigs (o the nativca. The animals ran loose and were the progenitors of the wild pigs that abound in New Zealand. ! In .some places these wild pigs attack sheep, especially young lambs; they are also fond of voting rabbits, which they <li>; out of the burrows, In the bush country, especially in the volcanic districts of the North Island, there are wild horses, the descendants of stray animals, and there are many wild cattle. Varicruß species of deer have been introduced from tiino to time and have, on file, whole, done well. In the hill-country of the North Island and in the Southern Alps the red deer—some from Windsor Park and pome from Ihe Highlands—have multiplied rapidly, so that deer-stalkers can probably det better sport in New Zealand than at Home. Indeed, " the attraction of red deer shooting is no iv to he reckoned as one of the assets of the country from a tourist's point of view.'' The fallow deer, the Sambur deer and trfe white-tailed or Virginian deer have also found tho new conditions favourable. Kit'ht chamois were imported in 1907, and these fine animals are now numerous in the Southern Alps. Some fif the cats introduced by settlers took to hunting game, and there are now many wild cats—often so strong and fierce j that no doe would tackle one singlehanded. Hedgehogs were imported by a Christchurcli resident in 1894, and are now so plentiful as to l>e a pest to tho poultry-farmers and gardeners. The failures with imported birds have been more numerous than the successes. The familiar brown owl, pigeon, thrush. blackbird, rook, starling, chaffinch and j house-sparrow, among others, appear to I have established themselves, as well as ' the mallard and the Australian black swan. i Tho partridge and pheasant have failed I utterly, not so much because they are attacked b v hawks and ferrets as because i the smaller birds eat up the insects on j which the larger birds nriinly dlenenrt. ; Mr. Thomson notes that the thrush rei tains its old habits and commences to sin? ; in Maw though that is at the beginning of ■ the New Zealand winter; it breeds in Sen- •■ tember and October and usually hreeds 1 again later in the season. The smarrnw. Mike the rabbit, has nroved a doubtful j blessing, though in 1864 the Auckland | Provincial Government was offering thirty I shillings n pair for imported house-spar-j rows. Mr. Thomson's is a learned and fascinating book, which will become a j classic of acclimatisation. \ Thf Xftt;irilis«.tion of Animal* and Plants in New By the Hon. George M. I Thomson, University Press. Cambridge.