AMONG THE BOOKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 87

AMONG THE BOOKS.

By Ret. F. &. Hoban-, R.N. London : John Murray.

As chaplain of the Royal Naval College, Osborne, the -work, of tha Rev. Mr Horan lies among cadets of from 13 to 15 years of age, and his special work naturally requires special treatment. Thus in the little volume of sermons preached to "the fleet in being" at Osborne their chaplain hos attempted no fine personations, no clv.-sic pulpit oratory which would hove parsed unheeded as the wind over these youthful heads. Rather has he shown an excellent knowledge of human nature and a sound commonisense in clothing excellent nmtt-er in simple manner. The language of the^se sermons is simple, easy, and even familiar, never likely to weary, and always practical and full of manly courage and with all humility. There are in all 21 short sermons, some of them onsuch little-quoted texts as to impart a freshness and originality to themes in themselves. As commonplace as human life itself. Of these the cleveT, concise and manly rendering of the sentiment exemplified in Saul, the chosen King of Israel, "hidden among the stuff," at the rc.ir of the armed hosts, long-sought in vain, at last discovered with reluctance, is one — and there are many otheirs. For the use of those whose work lies among boys, and who appreciate the difficulties of establishing a real live "wireless telegraphy" between the joyous irresponsibilities of youth aud the deeper heart of life this little volume >f Mr Horan's is real treasure trove. PIP. Br Alan Hay. London : William Blackwood and Sons. Mr Hay has, it appears, written a book before "Pip," and that book <ras called "Young Blood." If it was as fresh, as breezy, and as vital as his present novel one is sorry to have missed it, because the spirit of youth is of a rare and delicate bouquet, seldom distilled into the pages of any book. Pip as a small child is delightful — he is only rivalled by his smaller sister, Pipette. They are the children of a hard-working London physician ; their mother is. dead, and a very wide field of humour is successfully tilled in the brief experiences of the motherless children •« bile under the care of the domestics who love and spoil them. Not less happy is the presentment of their first school experiences at the establishment of that select and irreproachable academy conducted by Mr and the Misses Pocklington. The merest bit of quotation will serve to tlvow the happy vein in which the author works : — "On Thursday afternoons the whole school assembled in the music room. Here the faded Miss Arabella thumped mechanically on the piano, while the pupils of Wentworth House School chanted an inexplicable and interminable ditty entitled 'Doh-ray-me-fah.' The words of this canticle were printed on a canvas sheet upon the wall, and the method of inculcation was somewhat peculiar. Mr Pocklington. taking his stand beside -he sheet, would lav the tip of his little white wand upon the word 'doh,' printed at the bottom. Miss Arabella would strike a note upon the piano, and the school would reproduce the same with no uncertain sound, sustaining it by one prolonged howl until the white wand slide up to 'ray,' an example which the vocalists would attempt to follow to the best of their ability, and with very varying success. Having rallied md concentrated his forces on 'ray,' Mr Pocklington would advance to 'me,' and th^n to 'fnh.' " Later on, when Pip graduates to the next stage of his education and comes under the influence of Mr Hanbury, "master of tho Lower Shell, % sort (< ( intellectual dust heap on the modern side j of Grandwich School," his progress m many things, especially cricket, is dealt with in a simply delightful and breezy manner. The whole book breathes Ibe breath of youth, and stirs with its wholesome freshness the dull conventions of the average novel ; even the school pranks pre not dull, and that is no slight praise In fact, without further detail, it may be eaid that from start to finish the adventures of Pip are, really pleasant reading, andi preserve the rare and happy medium between excitement and dnlncss. ■ A few lines of quotation from the period when Pip is devoted to golf — and a very charming young woman, name of Elsie, may be taken as a fair sample of i the latter part of our acquaintance with a thoroughly good fellow. " Observe the throng of golfers, male and female, young and old. Here you may ccc Youth, full of slashing drives and strange oaths, and Age, known for bis sage counsel and long putts. Here is a schoolboy with bare knees and head and a supple swing that makes middleaged golfers wriggle with envy. Here is a ' golfing minister.' His clubs are oldfashioned and his ball has been repainted. You will out-drive him over and over again, but unless you have at least a stroke in hand when it comes to approaching and putting he will beat you," etc. This is merely by way of showing the ea*y and cheerful tone -which chronicles the adventures of Philip Wilmot (otherwise "Pip") on his way through an eminently friendly world.

MUGGINS OF THE MODERN SIDE. By Edmtjnd Francis Sellar. London : William Bla.ck.wood and Sons.

Here is another story of youth, but it is too much youth, too much school, too much games and sports, too much vernacular — too much of everything, unless for a limited, a youthful, and an uncritical group of readers. Muggins, otherwise Manfied Ulred Gordon, is a tedious sort of chap, whose boastfulness and absurdities constitute him "the Mug" he is so ofteu called. Sport, under the aspects of cricket and football, bulk very largely in the recital of " Muggins of the Modern Side," and as the tale progresses from the almost fathomless profundity of school vernacular to the more recognisable slang of adult sport, the reader is introduced to several country houses and a number of quite familiar types, such as the country squire, the sporting baronet, the family butler, the golfing gardener, the bibulous uncle, the maiden aunt, and various well-known harmless but necessary nuisances. One whole chapter is devoted to a resume of the novel which Muggins wrote during that period when he was under the profound conviction that literature was his line : and really the game, even as padding, does not seem worth the candle!

A typical extract, just a fair specimen of the style and scope of the literature v.hich celebrates the performances of Muggins, will be more conclusive than pages of closest criticism: — "Eleven runs were now wanted to win, and the next ball came straight on the leg stump and very fast. Muggins did edge his legs away the least triiie, but he kept his bat fast, and the ball was snicked for 4. Seven runs to win, and Burnet to get the bowling ! The bowler was slow — very slow, — and tossed up a googly. Like an arrow from a bow Muggins 'was up the pitch after it. ' Run,' he yelled, as Burnet blocked it ; and Burnet, like a good one, bolted, and one of the riskiest short runs I ever saw was stolen."