BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 10

BOOK NOTICES.

"Stradclla." By F, Marion Crawford, London: Macmillan and Co. (3s 6d, 2s 6d.) This is the second of tho two finished novels left, as a legacy to his appreciative public by tho lato Marion Crawtgrd; and, as in "Tho White Sister," m find in " Stradclla" the same charming and polished stylo, and the same lovo of humanity and determination to see it always at ita best, which has over been so marked a characteristic of this most human of novelists. Even a villain heroines in these sympathetic handa a good man gone temporarily wrong, with all tho possibilities of recuperation strong within him. Thus, in the present story the two Venetian bravos, Trombin and Gambardella, aro delightful vagabonds, with tho finest possible manners and a respect for human lifo about equal to that of tho average soldier. Another thing that strikes us niarkedly in Mr Crawford's Inter novels is tho increasing simplicity of his plofs and the increasing importance that he attaches to tho paesion and emotion of Lovo. It would seem as if on his approach to the Borderland the many cross-currents of life merged into one strong deep stream, the stream of lovo, human and divine, and that th more ho knew and studied the springs of human nature the more tolerant be becamo of its weaknesses and tho more able to see good in all. Complicated motives and " the seamy side " no longer attract him as a, man or an artist, and though he knew that people must be amused and that bo to amuse them was the olio supremo duty of the novelist, he never permitted himself to sink into mere sensationalism or allowed himself to pander to tho prurient taste of a eection of tho community. "Stradclla" is "an Old Italian Love Tale." The sccne is laid first' in Venice and later in Rome. Tho hero, whose namo adorns the title page, is 1 the famous composer and singer whoso exquisite love-songs still live in the use and memory of liis countrymen, while stories of his " wonderful golden voice " still stir the pulses of older singers and rouse younger ones to emulation. The artist and his young and beautiful bride, whom he wooed in song with scarce a spoken word, and whom he stole from beneath tho very eyes of her elderly uncle and intending bridegroom, tho Senator Michelo Pignaver, are, we are told, historical characters whose history may bo paralleled in many " a quaint dust-covered chroniclo buried amid tho dry-as-<lust archives of ancient Italian houses." The two bravos, however, arc original, and it is their presence and tho unblushing effrontery with which they undertake " for a consideration " to perform three contradictory and utterly impossible crimes that give tho story its proper romantic interest and keep the reader's attention fixed on an unusual and quite thrilling denouement resembling " those exciting but equivocal situations in which modern financiers not infrequently find themsolves." Tho feelings of tho bravo on this occasion might possibly bo compared to those of "Lord Byron when ho had written offers of marriage to two young ladies 011 tho same day, and both had accepted him; or to those of an ' operator' who has advised one intimate friend to buy a certain stock at any price, and another to sell all ho has, while be himself has not made up his mjnd as to what he had better do; or to those of a jockey who has taken money to ' pull' a horse when he was sober and has backed his mount when he was drunk." But, really, none of these situations are so acute as lhat of tho two free-lances when they " had concocted a plan by which they honed to win their money from three different employers for doing three different things, cach of which was contrary to the nature of tho other two." How they extricate themselves from this apparent impasse, eatisfy their employers, and cover themselves with honour and glory before retiring once more to those delicious " gardens of irresponsibility," where our author found them " beyond the borders of truth in the noble realm of fantasy," we leave our readers to discover for themselves, being very sure that they will enjoy tho reading and bo truly sorry when, like " Strndella's"' golden voice, the talc is nothing moro than a memory, though long to bo remembered, like all other tales from Ihe same pen.

"Kitty Aubrey." By Katharine Tynan. London: Hodder And Stoughton. Dunedin: R. J. Stark and Co. (Cloth, 3s 6d.)

Tiiis is a pretty story for girls who aro just entering lito antl thinning, maybe, of a profession. Kitty Aubrey's is the oxperienco of many foreign-born children sent to tha Homeland for their health, while their eclf-sacrilicing patents remain in tho enervating climate ol India. iSh« is practically an -orphan during the formative years of Jier life; her nature develops oix its own lines with little guidance; and the story of' her youthful experiences is well told. She lias tho hwding instinct very strongly developed, t'Jttl decides to beconio a doctor. For this her motives are t>f the highest: "I was bom to be a doctor. I set a bird's leg in splints when I was six yearn old, and it mended. Ever sinco then I liavo been nursing and healing all the sick things that came my way. ... I have always had a senjse of vocation. lx>ts o! girls go to nursing, not. bccause they have a vocation, but from some foolish, selfish, unworthy reason. I go beeauso the doctor is born in me and 1 cannot help it." Kitty's choice of a vocation- brings very momentous consequences. Her father's father, Sir John Aubrey, was displeased with his son's marriage—a dispkasuro which lias been fanned by a second wife for her own purposes. The young lady doctor is ablo to nw«o tho old man as special medical attendant, win -his lieart, and bring about „ genora- 1 fyziiy reconciliation. There 'Si, no-mu pretty -soeiics in this book, and -tho general tone is healthy and bracing. Kitty herself is an exceptionally nice girl, fneo fiom affectation of every kind, and her love aftair with Robin Bright is very touching. Robin, being dclicato ujid slightly deformed, can. hardly believo that tho brght, brilliant lady doctor really lovc.s him more than his handtome, healthy cousin, who seems her ideal mate. The distinction between tlies-o two, ami the oauso of Kitty's choice, shows .Mra Tynan's knowledge of the best instincts of a woman's heart. The clioico is -real; there is no self-sacrifice or abnegation in it. Kilty, with her immense gift of compassion and passionate desire to help all suffering creatures, is drawn to tho man who needs her and to whom she will be all in all; and flic marries him for love, not duty. Another romantic lovo affair gilding a plain yet ■heroic existence is that of Ruth Brayton and Walter Thirwall.in which a charmingly fashionable grcy-imd-white outfit plays a. very important, part, showing that oven the bast of women ought to give a little attention to dress, and that in this particular it is novel- too late to mend. "Us and Our Donkey." By Amy Le Fcuvre. London •• Religious Tract Society. (Cloth, illustrated, 25.) Miss Lo Feuvre's lively child's story of "Us and Our Donkey" turns on tho anxiety of tho children of an impccunious [arson to become possessed of that delectable quadruped lwloved of all children. The moans by which they obtain tho donkey and the uses to which they put it constitute the t-ale. Tho desiro is probably natural to all children who from time' immemorial havo found a donkey tho most manageably, unmanageable creature, long-suffering and patient, as well as obstinato; but the means and the use aro distinctly original. It- goes without saying that- the parsonage children are not well supplied with pocket money, but in this case they are allowed to earn some if they can, and' the means employed include the making of toffee, tho selling of vegetables and- fruit in open market-, tho fi?i]ing in preserved waters, and the sale t>i the fish to Uio lessee of the water, etc. It will bo seen that such adventures leave room for tho personal touch which delight children as much as their elders. When at last the children get tho donkey they bccomo proprietors in turn, put it to all sorts of extraordinary uses-some wise, as when they carry parcels for sick neighbours, others foolish, as when t-hey tr\ to train the donkey to sit- up and eat dinner. At list ho runs away, and' is

advertised 1 for in the following terms: "When last eeen he was waring a dark hluo coat, black-and-white check troupers, and wlfito nightcap. Answers to the name of Andy." Finally Andy is found, and recovered by a stroke of diplomacy worthy of a youthful Sherlock Holmes, and the family are left in happy possession of their much-loved " little brother." This would be a capital story if it was not quite so " preachy," but as the children of the present day have learned to " skip " as effectually, as their elders, that is probably of little consequence.

"Tho Conscience of Roger Trehern." By Evelyn Everett-Green. London: Leisure Hour Monthly Library. (Paper, illustraleU, 6t1.)

Jlrs Everett-Green Y, stories are always interesting and wholesome, inculcating good moral and religious principles. Tho present tale deals with a- type now almost extinct, "the old high Tories of a century. ago," who liavo Jievcr followed any but regular professions, " fit for gentlemen "—that is to pay, the Army, Navy, Church, and Bar. Roger Treherne is intended for tho Navy, but, his health failing, he is pushed into the ChttTch. Then como doubts and a conscience in revolt, Of course, as in all bcoks of this type, the conscientious scruples are raised only to he dispelled, and Roger is convinced by arguments, only one of which is of any real value, and this, if correct, would upset all the othere: " Only those who seek not to lead or choose, but aro themselves called and chosen, know the voice of the Shepherd and follow it."

"Inspiration and tho Old Testament." By Rev. T. S. Sprott, M.A., Vicar of St., Paul's, Wellington. Cambridge University Press. (3s 6d.) ibis work, published by a committee of gentlemen who heard the lectures, commends their sane judgment, ami will enhance the lecturer's reputation for lucidity and fairness. The positive results of Old Testa incnt criticism arc set fOl ill, and the leading ltatures of modern criticism stated in such an interesting, clear, and impartial way that students of the Bible, who believe, like tho reviewer, that the criticism is but a passing wave, have 110 causo to complain but every reason to be grateful to tho author. Here is a clear statement of the critics' work, and the value of their work. Inspiration is regarded as "the quickening and enlightening of man's apprehcnsivo powers by the Spirit o! God" and Revelation is "God's selfunveiling." Irom these definitions the author proceeds to show that tho Old Testament contains tho Sclf-uiiveiling of Cod in Mature, conscience, and history. This is a book that every lover of iiie Bible,even though opposed to the Shthor's views, will do well to buy.

"Out of the Darkness," Illustrations of Adventure, Suffering, Progress, and Messing in the -Mission Field. By Andrew D. Stewart, a Director of the L.M.S. London : The Religious Tract Society. (3s 6d.)

This is a book very suitable for Sun-day-school libraries unci youug people's societies. I'rom many tources i\Jr Stewart lias drawn together a, large number of stones of missionary work, all of which are interesting and some even thrilling. 11 is not- a book of extracts. The author has selected the incidents and told tliem in his own way—a, method which has the advantage ot making the book more homogeneous than thij. reproduction of extracts written by many nands. As the title m«ic<ues, tne booi f illustrator, in comprehensive iaslnon many phases of missionary work. The iuckieius are chosen Irani the history ol missions in every part of the world, and tlicy give both tno light and siiaue of mission life. If the author tells of success and blessing, lie also lets us see the failure ami sulitrmg. Incidentally tne book gives us an opportunity of teeing how much the world owes to missions for geographical and philological knowledge. A useiul exercise lor young people would bo to find on tho map uJI tho places where the incidems ol the book took place. We wish lor this book a large circulation; it is a work which ought to kindlo the imagination and stimulate the generous sympathies of young people. We have no doubt but. tnat as tney read it many will hear the call in obeaience to which some of the best and ablest of mankind have become missionaries to the heathen world, and so have helped to swell the long roll of Christian heroes and heroines.

"W. G. Lawes, of Savage Island and New Guinea," By the Rev. Joseph King, with an introduction by the lk>v. Wurdlaw Thompson, D.D. London: The Religious Tract Society. (5s net.)

This book has the advantage of having been written by the life-long friend ui the man whoso career it describes. Dr Lawes and the author became friends when they wore 14 years' old, anu during an association oi over bt) years no discordant note was ever heard between them. Both entered the missionary sphere, and when Lawes died in Sydney in August, lyud, Air King still held the position he had filled 101 several years as Australasian Organising Agent lor tho L.iU.S., the society under wnich Lawes had laboured. The book is consequently characterised by adequate knowledge and whole-souled sympathy, two absolute essentials to successful biography. The L.AI.S. has been most fortunate in the missionaries it has sent- to the South Sea Islands. Alaelrfl'lane, the able administrator, and Chalmers, the dashing, intrepid explorer, both gave their life work to New Guinea, and, while in some respects unlike either of them, VV. G. Lawes fell not a whit behind either in devotion or in the ability with which he laboured lor the evangelisation of the sun-bathed islands of the Southern Seas. All three were men of whom any missionary organisation might be proud. Each has left an indelible mark on the history of New Guinea, Dr Lawes was bom m a Berkshire village in I®9, and became u preacher while yet in his teens. In his twentieth year lie telt that to become a missionary was his lile's destiny, and on his minister's advice offered himself to the L..M.S. With another famous missionary, Griffith John, of China, Lawes received his training at Bedford, famous as the town of Eunyan. In 1800, at the age of 21, lie sailed from Gravescnd to begin the career wh.ich lasted 46 years, of which 11 were spent on Savage Island and the remainder in New Guinea. The interest of Lawes's life centres round the latter country, where real hard pioneering work had to be done. How devoted he was to the welfare of the natives ; his tact both in dealing with them and tho Europeans whom the discovery of gold attracted to New Guinea ; his ability as a linguist—lie could preach in livelanguages; his statesmanlike way of looking at the political future of the country and ot meeting llie difficult problems which arose in connection with annexation by Great Britain: his zeal and industry as a translator of boohs, especially the Bible, into the native tongue; his supremacy as a preachei, as well as the danger and trials incident to missionary work in a country inhabiledl by cannibals, crocodiles, and fever are well described in this book, which also throws valuable light on important New Guinea questions. Tho work contains a large number of good illustrations, and a map of New Guinea enables the reader to follow tho story intelligently. A book like this is a valuable addition to biographical literature, and is worthy of being placcd on every book-shelf. Thero is no place in tho world whero ,thero are more sudden and extreme changes in temperature than in Australia. \Ve often experience a climate of three different seasons in one day, and the result is that, numbers of people contract a cold in the stomach and bowels, which causes groat pain and suffering. There is nothing that will relieve this suffering so quieklv as Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remciiy. This is the b?st mcdicino in the world to cure bowel complaint in all lt.s forms. It is a sure cure for Diarrhoja, Dysentery, and Colic, and lias novel' been known to fail. Sold everywhere. — The longest, term a British Prime Minister has hold office during the last two ccnturics is 20 years 326 days (Robert Walpolo); the shortest, two days (the Earl of Bath),