BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17158, 10 November 1917, Page 8

BOOK NOTICES.

"Where Jasmines Bloom." By Mary Julian. London: Hodder and Stougt ton. (Cloth, 45.) i^fi

This story is described as "a romance of Kashmir," the. scene being that famous valley in which the Mogul Emperors raised their palace of pleasure and laid out.their gardens of delight—a place of _ beauty haunted by memories of past passion and tragedy, of violent emotions and the.heavy languor of satiety. Docs the aftermath of euoh passions, such emotions, linger in the environment which created and sustained them? Are they even now, after the lapse of centuries, discernible by certain sensi'tives, though not always explicable, by them? Mary Julian is of the opinion that they are, and her story, worked out on these lines, lays a strong hold on the imagination and interest of the reader. Three married couples in the military and civil , services spend the hot weather of one fatal summer camping out on the banks of the Dhal in the historic valley, just opposite to and in full eight of the deserted palace and gardens. For two of the party in a supreme degree and for the other four in lesser degree ' 'the spell cast by all this beauty is of a deadly nature. A curious subtle change comes to each. A happy married couple of many years' standing become irritable, critical, sarcastic, quarrelsome, find fault where no . fautt is, get daily more causelessly estranged. It is, however, upon the honeymoon lovers that the blight chiefly descends, turning the rmn's ridiant jov in the possession of hie bride into a callous indifference that culminates in hatred, against which the poor little bride struggles in vain, setting forth all her simple, innocent arta to win him back from his mad infatuation for the wife of his senior officer—the third couple of th» party. This third woman, Sybil Jansen, is the evil geniue of the tale. She is a kind of modern Undine, without heart or conscience, incapable _of pity or of true love, caring for nothing but the gratification of her desire at any cost and under any conditions. Colonel Jansen alone knows what Sybil is, and, from a mingled sense of responsibility and horror, he is silent. The story is very skilfully told. In order to work up the proper interest in the chief actors, a long and' somewhat elaboTato description is given of cantonment life in Sherpoor an'd of the relations, more or less intimate, of the six actors in the little drama of which it forms the prologue. Thus prepared, the reader is ready to accept the weird suggestions and hinted psychlem of the second part—tho mad infatuation of the young bridegroom, the anguish of the bride, the unholy triumph of Mrs Jansen, which might otherwise have,seemed forced and impossible. It is a strange I story, and will appeal to many readers who I are interested in modern psychic research. I

"The Ideal Nurse: An Address to Nurses, delivered to the Nursing Staff of The Rotroat at York." By Charles A. Mercier, M.D., F.R.C.S., etc. London: "The Mental Culture .Enterprise. (Leatherette, 2s 9d; paper, 25.) ■

This is the text of an address deh'vered by an alienist to a special class "of nurses— those employed in tending the insane; but in its general teaching jt ie applicable to all nurses and to the many thousands of devoted women who aro now learning for the first time how arduous, exacting, and trying tho work of a nurse is. The address is remarkable in its raro combination of knowledge, sympathy, and inspiration. It emphasises the importance of hand work, " made perfect by practice," and the greater importance of brain-work also made perfect by intelligent practice and thought. '" Never do a thing,- never see a thing done without asking yourself tho reason of it. Is there no better way of doing it? Don't ba too hasty in assuming that the other way that seems better to you is really better. . . Other heads than yours have been at work upon it, and very likely have thought of your way before you were born. . . . Think. Keep on thinking One of these days you will produce a thought that is not wrong, not mistaken, but an improvement on the prevailing way of doing things." Dr Merrier draws a parallel botween cleverness and capability or trustworthiness. Cleverness is a birth-gift, like an ear for music, an eye for colour, a voice for singing. Capability can be acquirpd by self-training, patience, and perseverance, and is infinitely oiorc valuable than mere cleverness, though of course the two. when combined, are of extreme value. But the supremo quatfty needed by a nurse, and indeed by every other human being, worthy of the name, is sympathy. This Dr Mercier takes as another name for the Charity of Christian Love, eulogised by St Paul in 13th chapter of I Corinthians, and ho applies that wonderful, chapter, clause by clause, to tho nurse's special life, trials, •uid duties, her opportunities, dangers, and temptations, in such a way as to bring every word home. The motto and spirit of the address are intended to bo "Sursura Corda"—"Lift up your hearts." "So shall your work bo better done, your patients better tended, your own lives happier and more satisfied . . . and tho world bo even a little happier because we have lived: even a little better for our example."

"The Living , Church: A Survey and a Vision.' By K. E. Maclean, 8.A., with Fr>r?word by the Bishop of Waiapoj. Duw<Hn: Whitoomb and ■ Tombs. (Pniper; Is 6d.)

This book of ehort sermone by tJhcviVar of Rotorua is an attempt to set forth tho nature and position of tho living ctiiimh, to traoo • iho caaens of thcologioal disaetisfao tion, ant] to peoposa certara romedioe, oliiei

among these being tho union of the churches. This union is only possible by the exercise of the widest toleration, which, so far, appears to be only desirable or possible when exercised by " the other party ** or parties. Mr Maclean's " vision, however, assumes the possibility of a combination:— Not only the special gifj of each, bodyv but the special geraus of each race—the energy and capacity of the European, the spiritual insigilt, the concentration, the patience of the Asiafcio—all gathered into one. "The Church" no longer lost in "the national religion," but the National Church a unit in the Universal Church, the Great International Brotherhood of Jesus Incarnate, the Home of God the Holy Ghost, God's agent in the world fulfilling His purposa The Vision Glori- , ous of a really united brotherhood, which ' shall comprise the • sura of all the truth, that God has' been able to pour down through many channels, converging into one great stream for the healing of the till we all oome in the unity, of the faith and of the- knowledge of the Son of God, unto full grown, men, unto the measure of the stature of the fn)™*"! of Christ. ; "A Seaside Reverie." By "W. Martin, Papatowai. (Paperi 6d.) r : Mr Martin passes in. review tie great part played by the ocean in the preservation of life on this planet_ by the < work of evaporation and condensation and the constant movement, by which iJie deep waters are gradually brought to the surface and lifted into the higher regions of the air, and ho finds in this a parallel to the work of tho Divine Spirit in man raising him from the depths ■of em and despair to /'higher, holier, endless joys." Mr Martin has a great facility in rhyming., and an honest to add his quota to the cause of Christian dogma and teaching. ; ■

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS IN* LONDON. TO THE EDITOB.

Sie, —I have read with syrqpathy the statements made by General Richardson and by all others who have in any w*y been in touch with the New Zealanders in England. Mr W. G. Jamieson seems dissatisfied with the provisions made in London for tae New Zealanders. Yet they, have more consideration and are better looked after than any other soldiers in England, both by the New Zealand authorities in London and by the English' public. Widespread, sympathy has been ehown to the overseas men in England, and the residents are and have been over-anxious to do they can for them. I have been struck with admiration for the organisation of the New Zealand representatives. I have been in New / Zealand only a few weeks, and-have come straight from the largest military, hospitals in England, where I was sister-in-charge, and with the New Zealand organisation I was in daily touch. No .one receives more consideration than the New • Zealand soldier, both in and otit of hogjitaL He is provided from the New Zealand stores with all he could desire in hospital, in the may of toilet- requisites, stationery, tobacco, cigarettes, matches, razors, etc. This ,alone entails no email amount of organisation, and in all the military hospitals in England. The soldier has visitors on visiting days, ' under an arrangement made by committeea in each big town. The regular weekly inquiries and reports, required by the authorities, as to the condition and every detail of any of the soldiers in. hospital, the untold special inquiries made concerning the more serious cases,'the visits of officials from the New Zealand headquarters and the New Zealand chaplain, and the jealous, interest they take in every case, have never failed to strike me with admiration and wonder at the excellent organisation. Further, arrangements < are made for the soldiers wnen thev arc going on furlough, and I can say that no colonial, whether New Zealander, Australian, or. Canadian, ever came my way without having tho opportunity of meetingmv many friends, who were only too anxious to have any of them on furlough—in_ many cases at groat personal sacrifice, owing to the increase in the cost of living in England. Our fecline towards the colonial wast How much can •Wβ do for those who had no one but ns'to rely upon? I have found the Now Zealand soldier likes often to be independent—he likes bis/freedom, and.once in London (either from the front or hospital) ho can draw his pay, and he is even better off than tho British soldier, for there .are thousands of British wio new ss* London bofore. I think we should find the Now Zealand authorities in London would rather arrantre, their own affairs, aJid if any thittsr could bo reasonably suggested for the comfort and well of their men, I. a m perfectly certain they would prefeqr to do if. I ha/re had occasion before to-day to see how jealously they watch the welfare of tlioir Ttwn. It always seemed to me that every New Zealander was an individuav treated as such, and they give him every consideration. It is a pity just now, when so many New Zealand men arc away from their homes, that any additional anxiety should bo foroed irpon the mmds of the mr>thers and wivtss Ivm. They' are not • tobes that need to be tied to apron etrmge, but a finf>. tuoricrhi set of strong men. whom tho English have bwn proud , toi entertain, ,and who, I am sure, do pot require pamper-' in*- or worrying about. ... . There are a fo.w wbo wul break loose m every crowd, but for this Tin one themselves can bo nvsßonsible , . . The oondtjaons-of which Mr Jam ionon, speaks are met with all over tho world, not only in London.— I sin, etc.. ■ . November 7. F. L. liTEirDATip. '