BOOK NOTICES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4740, 23 August 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

BOOK NOTICES.

NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS “Michael Fcrricr.” _ By E. Frances Poynter. Macmillan and Co., London. Tho hero of this story, Michael Terrier, is a young man whoso parents died while he was yet a child, leaving him to the care of a straugc-tcmpored old grandmother, with, whom ho spent a lonely and loveless childhood. He was rather a delicate child, and sadly needed the tender fovo and caro of a mother which was denied him. His grandmother on tho score of economy obtained a tutor for him. This she thought cheaper than sending him to Cambridge, bub if she had done the latter his mixing with other lads of his own ago might havo had tho effect of strengthening him both mentally and physically. However, ho was a studious young man, and it was thought ho would grow'out of his delicacy. When his grandmother died she left him in comfortable circumstances, and he, not wishing to remain in His country ball, left it in tho care of some relative and went to London. There lie mot a young lady, Helen Umfraville, with whom he fell speedily in love. She was motherless like himself, but had been tenderly cared for by her governess. Miss Beavcn. She reciprocated Michael’s affection, but the course of their true love was crossed by a rival named Henry Mills, a cousin of Helen’s. Tho stoiy is very interestingly told. Of their troubles before tho lovers wore united, and of tho final tragic ending, which was inevitable under tho circumstances, our readers will doubtless take an opportunity of learning for themselves.

“Foma Gordyooff.” By Maximo Gorky T. Fisher Unwin, London.

Maximo Gorky, tho Russian novelist who has set himself to lash many of the institutions of Ids fellow-country-men, lias drawn in this hook a pitiless—nay, a hrutal—picture of tho Russian social castes, and of tho outcast lot <£ vagabonds of Russian civilisation. MT Gorky lias had a strange career. Ho has been shoemaker, pedlar, painter, dock hand, baker, and tramp, and in his life of privation lias ’seen with his own eyes tho inner life of that remark-* able outcast class which seems to he inevitably present side by side with the riches and wealth of great cities. M. Gorky appears to have come away from tho study of it soured in temper and jaundiced in eye. Tho men and women tio pourtrays are more animals, and tho life ho depicts is tho lifo of egoism and tho pitiless, crushing struggle of the strong against the weak, with “might is right” for its watchword. This, happily, is not the whole world. It is perhaps a section of it, and M. Gorky, it may he, has made that section of it his life-study. But it is a nobler and more voting task to seek to emulate the bright and beautiful in lifo, rather than to preach pitiless realism and the doctrine that “conscience is an unconquerable power to the faint-hearted only.”

“Tho Golf Lunatic.” By Mrs Fdward Konnard. Hutchinson and Co., London. H. Baillio and Co., Wellington.

Although brightly written and amusing, this story is spun out inordinately, while tho author’s disposition to point a moral is irritating. Still the book contains much satire on tho snobbishness of a certain typo of society of which Adolphus (or “Dolly”) Jerningham is a select specimen. This foolish person is always falling in and out of love, but is cured at last by a bogus Countess, who proves to ho ono of a notorious gang of thieves. ■ Then he comes to tho conclusion that his sensible wife is worth more than all his “divinities.” Cynthia Jerningham when at homo has more than a fair share of household duty; the butler is always acting as caddy for his master, and the housemaid making cotton-wool golf balls for “Dolly” to practise with in the hack garden. The most amusing part of the book is tho account of a bicycle tour in Belgium, where “Dolly” insists on staying at the most expensive hotels in order to appear as a person of consequence.

“The King’s Counsel.” By Frank Richardson. Chatto and Windus, London

Tho author of this book is a new writer. Of his ability to put together meritorious work there can bo no doubt. As a skilful novelist he will take rank soon among our best-known authors. “Tho King’s Counsel” is complex, and decidedly interesting. Given law court scenes, company promoters of the fraudulent kind, men and women ad-

dieted to such passions as tend most| to violate the latter portions of the, decalogue, and wc have a dish of strong meat, unfit, wo would say, for the, mental digestion of the immature. Of. course, justice and honour aro vindi-| cated in the end, and the author justifies his work.

“The Diamond of Evil.” By F. Wisliaw. John Long, London. In tliis clever story wo arc treated to a description of the doings of some British soldiers who stole a diamond from the forehead of ail Indian god. They quarrel and fight over its possession. Ail hut one of the thieves die, and tbo survivor loses tiic precious stone returning to England from India, Mrs Gallup’s Baconian theory is severely satirised by tho use made of a cryptogram for the recovery of the jewel. The adventures of the hero in South Africa and in India arc 'well told, ami on tho wholo the story will bo read with interest. ' j “The Shadow nf the Cross.” By Robert Connie. Ward, Lock and Co., London. Tho ar.'ihor of iho “Crack of Doom” has given ns another story of considerable literary merit and excellence in novel-building. It is pathetic and in the end tragic, but there is love and honour and virtue in tho story of the • Rev. Hugh Adair and Liz Johnston, on ; whom he lavished his affections. Adair 1 was “called” to Dunsaney, a village on I the north-east seaboard of Ireland. He ■ bad been educated at an English college, which was quite the worst train- : iug for a lad who was to succeed to an ; Ulster Scots congregation. His theology was first questioned, and the verdict ; that “tho boy’s not sound on hell” . was destructive to his influence. But ■ this interest in bis theology is characteristic of tho villagers, and in tho opening chapters wc obtain a glimpse of rural life in Northern Ireland. Bub Liz Johnston is well educated, beautiful, and fascinating, and tho young minister lias a heart. She seems to reciprocate his love, but ho is not evidently sufficiently worldly, and Liz becomes enamoured of an English visitor to Dunsaney. Ho turns out to bo a deep-dyed, scoundrel, and Liz only discovers her folly when too late. The story is commendable in many ways, and its moral is obvious. ,

“The Second Generation.” By J. W. Linn. Macmillan and Co., London.

In this book the author has given ns a sensational and slangy story of American politics and corruption. It is “strong meat,” and too highly spiced, wp fear, for many people’s taste. Wo have an Indiana Congressman who, though ho has promised his constituents all sorts of good things to obtain their vote, sells their interest to put money in his pocket. John Kent, who is described by Congressman Wheeler as “proprietor of a dirty little Scanuol County, patent inside, job printing haudpross weekly,” goes to expostulate with his representative upon his conduct, but the Congressman knocks him down, and the blow causes his death. John Kent leaves to his son, Jerome, then a baby, a legacy of revenge on bis murderer. Tbo hero starts life with the vendetta entrusted to him by his father, and the stdty t.ells how ho fulfilled it. Ho falls in love with Wheeler’s daughter, saves tho life of that rascal, is imprisoned by him on a false charge, and although Wheeler eventually dies, Jerome loses Ethel, who, though she loves him, makes “her father and her past” an excuse for throwing him over, and Jeronio is left lamenting the “sins of the fathers.”

“Tho Silent Battle.” By C. N. Williamson. Methuen and Co., London.

If tho art of story-telling consists in never stopping to-vthink and never giving your readers a chance of thinking, Mrs C. N. Williamson is to be complimented on having acquired the art to a nicety. In her latest production, which is a highly coloured picture of theatrical life in England, she hurries tho reader along at breakneck pace. Miss Winifred Grey, of the Duke of Clarence’s Theatre, is a model of innocence and propriety, who, being tho daughter of an officer, supports an invalid mother and finances a foolish brother out of her earnings. To Winifred comes Lionel Macairo, a millionaire with an artificial foot, a hideous face,, the instincts of a satyr, and not a particle of conscience. Ho is ready to give Winifred a theatre of her own, and anything obtainable for money on earth bar a wedding ring, and as Winifred virtuously repels his suggestions of a menage a deux unblessed by parson or registrar, the millionaire, who controls newspapers, theatres and prize-fighters, sets to work to bring tho poor little actress to her knees. Ho is a genuine villain of the deepest dye, and the lady has a horrible time of it before she triumphs in “Tho Silent Battle.” It would bo unfair to give away Mrs Williamson’s “thrills.”

“Something in tho City.” By Florence Warden. John Long, • London. Whitcombo and Tombs, Wellington.

If readers desire an exciting and sensational narrative, this book will come up to their expectations. It is rather improbable, but the characters stand well out and are depicted in glowing colours. A credulous woman named Mrs Pender rents a bouse iii an English town, and as soon as she moves into it the body of a man is discovered, and Mrs Pender becomes involved in this and other extraordinary events. She is unwittingly the dupe of a gang of thieves, who rob in Belgium and dispose of their goods in England, and robbing in England sell the stolen treasure in Belgium. Mrs Pender discovers them in the end, and finds that her landlord next door is the chief participant in the spoil.

A volume of poems by Mr J. L. Kelly,' editor of the “New Zealand Times,” is announced as in the press, and will bo published in Wellington about Christmas. The book is to consist of about three hundred pages, with portrait of the author, and will he entitled “Heather and Fern: Songs of Scotland and Maoriland.” Names of subscribers arc invited in advance of publication, and will be received at the. “New Zealand Times” office. j