BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12415, 26 July 1902, Page 3

BOOK NOTICES.

*The Man from Glengarry." By Ralph j Connor. London: Hodder and Stoughton. Dunedin: J. Braithwaite. (Boards, 6s). i !A flesh, breezy, delightful story of life }n Western Canada before it was joined to the Dominion, ."t a period thai already reads like ancient history, and which it js the avowed object of these pages to so picture that the men and their times may not .drop out of lr.iud:—"The men were worth remembering. They carried the marks of their, blond in their fierce pactions, their courage, their loyalty, and i f the forest in their paticnce. their resourcefulness, their self-reliance." Accordingly the story commences with a fierce' and bloody lumberers' fieht for the freedom of the river, truly Homeric in its ferocity, and deeds of personal daring and just a little too bloodthirsty for our modern Miisibilitics. Glengarry itself is a Highland settlement in the' Far West; a settlement intensely Scotch in its virtues and vices, apd also in its religion, which, ''•though narrow, was no narrower than the' moulds nf the lives. It was the biggestthing in them." This religion, with its liatl'ow' Calvinism and icr, intense vitality, the moving element or the book, as of the Glengarry folk themselves, and is shown in its highest perfection in the minister's wife," an exquisitely 'beautiful creation, or a loving portrait, of. one of more catholic than their creeds that their those women who are so much wider and Very existence is one of tlie strongest, arguments for the Divine goodness and love as showing, the Creator in His most-perfect .tfork; Mrs Murray is in every way far lit udviifice of her creed, and when the dogmas of Calvin become too hard for her slie applies the solvent of charity in the decision ," we cannot judge," and gives her whole self in personal and intimate ministration to her husband's flock. Mr Con? nor's book is very charming, full of life, and tears, and laughter, of humour and pathos, and the same simplicity of diction which marked his previous efforts, "The Sky Pilot" (which lias already reached a Sixth edition) and "Black Rock." This clarity of style is; very striking, and in its. descriptions of "logging-bees." "sugaring oft," "lumber camps," and other details of strenuous, simple life recalls the charm of the backwoods story of our youth. We have here' no psychological problems, no tangled "skeins of conflicting motives, nothing'but a straightforward narrative and the working out of the evolution of a young lumberer into the clever, responsible representative of the interests iind needs of the Far West, the typical " Man from Glengarry," who, as the architect of his own fortune, attains a very' satis-■ factoiy position in the province to which he is ever faithful; and marries the girl of his choice, though not his first love. The literary merit of Mr Connor's hooks consists in the fact that they are conceivcd in the spirit of true narrative, and worked out with the directness and accuracy of an eye witness; they are also distinguished by a, healthy optimism, the result not only of faith but of experience, so that they carry to the mind of the reader a.-' bright, hopeful spirit and a. sense of the good results of strenuous, well-directed effort in a good .cause, and the, utility of honest work and clean living. Mr Connor / has evidently "come to stay." He has already achieved some measure of fame, or at least of popularity. He lis evidently seen a good deal of life in the Far West, under other conditions than those generally depicted for us, and lie is doing for Western Canada the saiw> kind of, work that Mr Crockett and the "kail yard school" have done for the Lowlands' of Scotland—i.e., elevating the standard of'common things by showipg something of the inward meaning of common life.

"Greater Love." By Joseph Hocking. London: Ward, Lock, and Co. Dunedin: . Stark and Co. (Cloth, 3s 6d.) In Mr* Hocking's new book we miss the thread of earnest purpose 'that generally distinguishes the writings of. this ,popular author. The present is a pretty Cornish love story, in whicli the, heroine, Odessa Osborne, secretly leaves'the'house* of.her foster-parents in order "that -she may dis-'. cover i tlie true secret of Iter birth. The village of Carvossa is plunged into consternation at her disappearance, and the hero, on a visit from London; becomes interested, succeeds in unravelling the mystery, and, after many adventures, including tile abduction of the heroine, introduces Odessa to a father, a mother, and a fortune, incidentally adding a husband to ilw auimber of the good things provided. The title is earned by Odessa's other lover, 4 half-demented young farmer, who loves her to distinction, but finding that she prefers his rival, finally gives his own life to save that oi the favoured man—aot for the man's sake, but that the woman he loves may be happy with her choice. This idea, though not new, is always fine and telling, but George Ppntenwin 'is not in any sense a fine creation, • and his act 1 of devotion does not greatlyi impress the reader, though it is in keeping with his weak,' passionate, emotional nature. The book contains many pretty "bits" of Cornish life, scenery, and superstitions; but the plot- is highly improbable, and the characters lack vitality'and virility. We fear that' Mr Hockijig : is oyer-producing ; the list of his books has, already reached a portentous length, and;if he wishes to sustain his reputation he must remember that. he is his own chief rival, land endeavour to surpass himself in all that'makes for true excellence; He should do more than produce an unexceptionable and pleasing story: he is Capable of .greater things.

"John Clifford. M.A.. B.Sc., LL.D., D.D." • By Chas. T. Bate'mnn. London: S. W. Partridge and Co. Dunedin: Braithwaite; (Boards, Is 6d net.) This latest volume of the " New Century leaders Series" is a hearty appreciation of the personality and work of the well-known Nonconformist minister, the Rev. Dr Clifford, a man >h'ose "efforts in the cause of humanity and social progress during the last half-century have done much for the advancement of the . social gospel of practical Christianity, which is the true creed of all the men whose lives are commemorated in this series. Like many other eminent humanitarians, Dr Clifford began lift as a worker under hard conditions, so that, at a • recent meeting of social democrats,

when the chief speaker contemned ministers "as mere theorists, men of books, with no practical knowledge of labour questions'," Dr Clifford was able to retort: '•I, myself, spent several years of my life in a factory in which I commenced working before I was 11, and many a time . I have gone on from Friday morning to' Saturday ' evening without a. break." In later days his voice has been, and still is, always raised to champion the cause of the oppressed. 'During the dockers' strike and many similar, troubles he showed his practical'sympathy with the toiling'masses by trying to bring about a. just and amicable seitleinent; advocated better housing: started working men's clubs: supported the Temperance and Ami-gambling Leagues, always declaring, .however, that the chief vice of the present' day was " that men do not believe in Jesus Christ enough to use Him and His Gospel always, every- j where, and out and out: . . . that we keep Him out of our politics; , , out of onr trade, and make bat; paper, bad clothes, bad buildings; out of our social life; . . . out of''our pleasures; out of our churches; and so perish pf our conventionalisms and respectabilities." The doctor's eloquence as a preacher is witnessed to by thousands, but no one has given him it licnrtier tribute of admiration than the old Shropshire lady who declared, " Well, he is the tinest ' oratorio' that I ever heard." "Charlotte." iiy L. B. Walford. London : Longmans. Auckland: Cpton and . Co. (Colonial Library; 3s 6d, 2s 6d.) j A smart story of smart people iir one of * the smartest London sets. „V story pitiful in its emptiness, : in its minute vivisection, . in its record of a wasted life, and withal wearisome in its detailed and' reiterated descriptions of gorgeous dresses, crowded rooms,' petty schemes, and still pettier triumphs. A story calculated to open' tlie eyes of many people who look upon " Society " as the summum bonum of human . bliss. " Charlotte " is »' woman who, with many great gifts of mind and body, wilfully sacrifices them all to an insensate greed for admiration and conquest, and finally reaps what she has sown j and neither in' the sotting ,hor the reaping does she arouse the sympathy of the reader, who feels generally more angry, than amused . by her vagaries. j '.'The Lost Square," By L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace. London : Ward, Lock, and Co. Dunedin: Stark and Co. ! (Boards, 3s 6d.) A thoroughly sensational story of breathless adventure, in which a beautiful human fiend, in female shape, and a keen amateur detective plav about equal parts. The, story is divided into six chapters, each containing a thrillng experience, anyone of which would have been more than sufficient to colour any. ordinary life; and' the last—which gives its name to the volume—being certainly a, worthy climax to them all, the touch of mathematical calculation giving just that, weird con- - trast that always heightens scenic effects, j " The Story of Animal Life." By B. Lindsay. London: George Newnes. Dunedin: Braithwaite. (Boards; Is net).

The last addition to "Newiies's Library of Useful Stories" treatsof .tin*beginnings of animal life; of how animals' adapt themselves to circumstances; their evolution and classification, etc. Though written' in a simple and popular style it is full of information, and copiously illustrated with numerous drawings and diagrams specially prepared by Miss E. .C. Abbott, of Newnham College. The chapter tin "Man" and what "A Baby Can Teach Us" is wonderfully interesting; and, indeed; the whole of this tiny volume is a mine of useful and helpful information. "The Web of Empire: A Diary of the Imperial Tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York in 1901.'' By Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace, K.C.1.E., K.C.V.O. London: Maemillan and

Company' (Limited). .(21s net.) ; This handsome volume, which is dedicated, by permission, to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, " may be called," it is slated, in a prefatory nofe, " the. authorised account"'of the immensely successful Imperial tour whiclvto" tlie intense gratification of the loyal British communities that were visited, took place last year, "but it makes 110 pretejislflnS. to having an official character." ThevnittW "desires it. to be clearly understood jii^afc for all statements of fact and expressions of;opinion he is alone and entirely Wj.tA;. sible. But we do not forget that'. S>j; : Donald Mackenzie Wailace had the adyjiK-r tage of being included iii the Duke's sriite; in the capacity of assistant private secretary. For seven and a-half long months, he was one of those in constant attendance upon the royal tourists. For a great many weeks in this time lie was one of a limited company of ladies and 'gentlemen, consisting of those, selected to accompany t&ir Royal Highnesses on their unique mission, who were, by force of necessity,; shut up in a steamer and confined to the society of themselves. Under these circumstances it is hardly unreasonable to surmise,that the impressions which Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace has set down in this "authorised," though not " official," record of the voyagings of their Royal Highnesses have been in some measure, at least, influenced by the opinions of members of the illustrious party that included liim. In any event, we have in "The Web of Empire" a connected account by one of the tourists—himself a distinguished historian and eminent journalist—of a most memorable event, or, to be strictly correct, a most memorable series of events. A special importance and a peculiar interest attach to this volume for this reason. An additional feature of interest in Sir Donald Wallace's book, in the eyes of residents of New Zealand, consists in' the fact that of the volumes that have been published concerning the tour this is the only ' one whose author accompanied their Royal Highnesses everywhere they went in this colony. As the title indicates, this account of the expedition is mitten in the form of a diary.' The author has sketched his impressions of the places visited and the scenes witnessed by the royal party in a chatty and entertaining fashion. There is 110 straining after effect in any of the descriptions of the functions and sights with which the tour was filled, Lengthy narratives of particular occurrences are eschewed, and details are wisely avoided. But: Sir Donald Wallace kept both his eyes and ears open. He has heard both sides of the question regarding the effects of the land and ■ labour legislation of the past decade in New Zealand, and he impartially states both sides, leaving it for Time to decide which is right. Then, little incidents are recorded by him that escaped the notice of the ordinary journalists. As an instance of this, the following reference to an incident of the railway journey between Oamara and Dunedin may be quoted: — Even between.the stations at- many points 1 the people coltect to see the train pass, greeting the royal travellers with.cheers iukl waving of handkerchiefs, or bowing lespectfullv with | uncovered heads. One group particularly attracts my attention, and I can see it.distinctly, as the train happens to be moving slowlv at the time. A venerable patriarch, tfith flowing beard, leaning 011 a gnarled walldng-stick, stands about 20yds off, flanked 011 both sides by male and female representaiives of two or three younger generations; and as the royal carriage passes the whole family group make silently a profound obeisance. This seems I somehow more impressive than the noisy demonstration. |

It will be observed that Sir Donald Wallace describes this incident in the present tense. That style is preserved throughout the whole volume, save where legends or historical events are recorded, arid, while it- may not be _ generally regarded with favour, it. has its advantages. Certainly it does not detract from the absorbing interest of "The Web of Empire." The illustrations, which are numerous and superbly executed, are reproductions, in the majority of cases, of paintings by the Chevalier E. de Martino and of drawings bv Mr Sydney Hall, both of whom were included in the Duke's suite. The volume is admirably printed, and, as a whole, is a worthy record of their Royal Highnesses' tour.