MISCELLANY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21366, 20 June 1931, Page 4

MISCELLANY

PROPHECY. SOCIOLOGY, ORATORY " On the Minor Prophecies of William Blake.” By Emily S. Hamblen. Introduction by S. Foster Damon. London: J. M. Dent and Sons. (15s net.) . ~ . „ _ •' The Magic and Mysteries of Mexico. By Lewis Spence. Illustrated. London: Rider and Co. (15s net.) „ , “ Lettering i for Students and Craftsmen. By Grally Hewitt, 8.A.. LL.B. The New Art 'Library. Illustrated. London: Seeley Service. (15s net.) “ To Clrcumjack Ccncrastus, or The Curly Snake." , By Hugh M'Dlarmld. Edinburgh: William ’Blackwood. (8s 6d net.) “ Marriage In the Melting Pot. By George Ryley Scott, F.Ph.S., F.Z.S. London: T. Werner Laurie (6s net.) Effective After Dinner Speaking. By J. F. Finn. Foreward by R. D. Blumenfcld. LondonChapmau and Hall (5s net.) Be it said to our discredit that we are not very patient of those who believe that every word written by a great autnor must in itself be great. If it is merely commonplace, these earnest ones must analyse, reconstruct, and interpret a phrase until it is full of pregnant, it obscure, meanings The very limit was reached, in our opinion, when a bookish friend “ interpreted ” one of James Branch Cabell’s books, a sardonic, Rabelaeian morsel preaching futility, as a bitter and scathing reflection upon Christianity. lw our role of, the doubting Thomas we questioned the accuracy, and even the need, to manufacture a meaning from what seemed to us to be merely a r delightful pseudo-mediaeval drollery. Then the matter was forgotten until the literary one wrote to say that we were right in saying that he had misinterpreted the book. He had read it again, and realised in a flash that it was a keenly ironical satire on the Great War! The case ot William Blake is not, admittedly, similar. Blake was a mystic whose symbolism has been proved to be full of hidden things, to expound a philosophy which, in advance of his own time, is gaining adherents to-day. There is room in his works for the scholar to discern the prophet, and there is room—and here is the difficulty—for another to find an entirely different prophet or set of prophets. Blake, as we know, believed that he was a Voice endowed with the knowledge of eternal verities that had been lost before his time, but which he could bring back for us in his difficult writing. Miss Hamblen shares the same implicit belief in Blake, and finds a piercing light in hie every phrase. And each light, how

ever brightly it may burn for her, has to be taken out-of-doors before the gentle reader can hope to see it. _ The method is painstaking, contrived of infinite study of Blake and of every source, from the Bible down, that may have influenced him —the result is an impressive, and expensive volume of nearly 400 pages which, we venture to say, none but those who are prepared to sacrifice everything else to a lifelong communing with Blake's spirit, will have the patience to read, for, in accordance with a natural law, obscurity breeds obscurities.

Mr Lewis Spence has spent most ot a lifetime in a study of the mysterious, and particularly with reference to the arcane secrets and occult lore of the ancient Mexican peoples and their neighbours the Maya of Central America and Yucatan, research which “ has richly repaid the writer by the companionship of its fascination.” In “ The Magic and Mysteries of Mexico ” he publishes an account of every aspect of Mexican witchcraft, magic, astrology, demonology, and of the religion, magic, and mysticism of the people of Yucatan. The mystical books of the Mexicans and the Maya are described, and the relationships between the religion and magical beliefs of these people fully, discussed. Nor have minor questions, such as popular superstitions, augury, and the use of charms and amulets been neglected. In addition Mr Spence provides, in the opening chapters, sufficient historical information to enable the uninformed reader to approach the curious knowledge of the Isthmian people with interest and some understanding. This volume, despite the searchjug treatment Mr Spence makes of questions pertinent to the inquiry of the trained anthropologist or student of mysticism, is more than sufficiently lively to merit the attention of those who read mainly for entertainment, with enlightenment a secondary consideration. It is amply illustrated from native sources. ¥ ¥ ¥

The author of “Lettering” has been described by The Times as “ The greatest living master of hand lettering,” so his practical equipment for the writing of this book must be acknowledged. The reader will concede him as well a profound knowledge of the history of his craft, and an interesting and instructive style of writing. Mr Hewitt traces the influences in the development of writing from early times, and shows us how the thought and patience that went into the work of other periods can be turned to the account of the letter-craftsman of to-day. His own knowledge stands him in good stead when he turns to the practical considerations of lettering for commercial purposes, in which direction the most rapid advancement is now being

made, and his advice on all modern problems, from the printing of fine books to the spacing of letters to gain the best effect, should prove invaluable to artists, printers, teachers, and students alike. This authoritative volume is embellished with 403 illustrations.

The imprimatur of the firm of Messrs William Blackwood upon the book “ To Clrcumjack Cencrastus.” the fact ( that some of the verses appeared in “The Modern Scot,” “The Irish Statesman.” “ The Scots Observer,” and other periodicals, and that there are other indications that Mr M’Dinrmid’s writings are held in esteem, convinces us that ' this book is interesting, possibly important. _ But the plain truth is that to this reviewer it was mainly unintelligible, and when he referred to it a Gaelic scholar pf some pretensions, it was returned with the remark that he “couldn’t make anything out of it.” It is possible, therefore, only to acknowledge the volume, which the publishers say “marks an important stage in the development of the most original poet writing in Scotland to-day,” and which is further stated to be a savage attack on the complacent and self-satis-fied in modern literature, and to contain some charming, vivid lyric interludes.

Mr Scott believes that because of the change that has occurred in the mind of the masses regarding subjects until recently taboo so far as polite conversation is concerned, “ any book on the raarriage question that is over five years’ old is not worth reading except as an historical document.” From this convenient assumption he commences a discussion ungraced by reticence, tolerance, or respect for the prejudices of the normally prudish, of marriage in its historical aspects and as it directly concerns the man and woman who are contemplating wedlock to-day. The book is interesting, it is helpful, it is intelligently written, but many will be antagonisted by the author’s continual condemnations or Christianity and his inordinate ,self-assur-ance: he could have written a more balanced work had he not conceived that it is necessary to shock people out of complacence with things as they are to-day.

Mr J. F. Finn has written more than one useful book on public speaking in its widest sense. In “ Effective After-Dinner Speaking ” he limits his field to deal with one kind of public speaking that is, as Mr Blumenfeld points out in a foreword, generally of a low standard because speakers give themselves little time for preparation and go to the banqueting table ill-equipped The book has useful advice to give to the chairman and toastmaster at dinners, including instructions on the correct use of titles, and his general survey should, if it is studied, produce a much more amusing and thoughtful type of after-dinner orator than, we are now accustomed to bear with. The suggestion that “jokes." epigrams, and so on should be stored in scrap-books and indexed against the time when they may prove useful may not appeal to the man who speaks in public once in a year, but even he can benefit by the hints that aie given, and particularly through reading the extracts from the speeches of famous contemporaries delivered in genial mood. J. M. Except In the case or Action the prices of boohs and other publications Issued outside Australia and New Zealand reviewed on this page are the prices at the place of origin, and generally are subject to alteration In Now Zealand.