QUARTERLIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27391, 17 May 1950, Page 2

QUARTERLIES

There is a good matter in the March issue of Landfall. The sociological studies —“The Floating Vote in New Zealand” (K. J. Scott) and “Some Thoughts on the General Election ” (D. H. Monro) —are pertinent. The poetry section is strong. There is an offering of seven poems by James K. Baxter, a long work by Keith Sinclair and poems from Allen Curnow (of unusual interest) and J. R. Hervey. There is a short story characterisation by A. P. Gaskell. Students of Aldous Huxley will find S. A. Grave making a very serious approach to his philosophy. The review of Sir Peter Buck’s new volume by H. D. Skinner is at once an appreciation and a contribution to the subject itself. Paintings by Eric Lee-Johnson—whose work was shown locally last year—are reproduced in black and white. The final issue of Southerly for 1949 is wholly devoted to the life and works of the poet Chris Brennan, an edition of whose collected poems and prose, edited by J. J. Quinn and A. R. Chisholm, is now in the press. The claim is made that “ when his work becomes known abroad he will be recognised not only as the finest poet that Australia has produced, but also as the great poet of his time, for it was not until much later—about 1917—that his contemporary, Yates, matured and began to produce the poetry for which he is now held in the highest esteem.” The claim is sufficiently bold to attract attention. Memoirs, studies, appreciation, quotations—these form the major part of this issue. As Brennan’s first poems were published as long ago as 1897, it is gocd that his work should be offered for a fresh appraisal.