LITERATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 78

LITERATURE.

BOOK NOTICES. “The Catfish." By Charles Marriott. Loudon : Hurst and Blackett. (3s ha. 2s fcd.) -.At one time the North Sea fishermen hrougnt tlicir cod to mai'Ket in tanks in tlie Holds of their vessels, ill tile tanks the cod lived at ease, with the result that they came to mar Let slack, flabby, and limp. Hume genius among fishermen introduced one catfish into each of his tanks, and found that his cod came to market firm, brisk, and wholesome.” Which story is an allegory worked out by Mr Charles Marriott on mental, spiritual, and psychological lines, showing the mission oi the human catfish as being that which introduces into life the queer, unpleasant, disturbing touch of the kiugdopi 01 heaven.” George Tracy is one of those extraordinary modern ciiikiren interpreted hv Mr Algernon Blackwood. Mr •). M. Barrie, “Michael Wood,” and a few others, who live in a world of their own - a “ world of reality,’ —interpenetrating this world of sense illusion, so real to most of ns. From Ins earliest memory George Tracy lived in this world. f he Bourne (a stream which hounds liis father s property), the waterfall, the grove, the Homan camp are to him instinct with life ami strange meanings not always clear, but always strong and insistent. ihe stream is typical of his life, and the solitary iris growing on its hanks conveys a meaning so secret and precious that he furiously attacks the boy who breaks jt from his hand, but knows not that he is fighting for an ideal. '\ he fir wood on the hill above his home sings to him wordless songs on the “Harp of Dawn,’ and the attic where he lays is full of “idlings, both dear and terrifying. Later in hfe the music that most attracts him is that of Beethoven, which is not composed, but “comes out of the earth.’ And in the same way the paintings which please him are not those of the so-called realistic school, but those of the Futurist, which appeal to the inner sense and “ stick in the mind, apart from what they represent,” appealing to the subconscious rather than the conscious, because “ We ve got to cure people of their intelligence before there’s any chance for painting in tins country.” George is not unpractical. He knows that the psychic side of him must be expressed by the physical ; but it is a long time before lie finds the right form of expression, id is parents aid him. His mother, by a silent sympathy, stronger than words, and Ins father by an intuitive appreciation of greatness in the son, which he himself doss not possess, though he can in a measure sense it in another: “ ‘ There’s a new race springing up,’ he said, ‘ very sharp and able, hut without principles or tradition. And the people with principles and traditions have become frivolous, or they scold at the newcomers like a number of old women. What we. want to do is to sit tight and say nothing—that is to say, most of ns, leaving a few picked men to skirmish in front. There’s a sort of division of labour, you see. People like myself are not much good witli our heads except for business, hut we can hold the fort, and we can supply the ammunition. . . . We want all the good men wc can get to march in front. There are changes coming all round. 1 see it in business. I see it everywhere. Perhans I’m talking too much ahead. But I do want yon to feel, my hoy. that every one of us owes a duty to' his country as well as as himself.’ ” At first Mr Tracy thinks that his son will learn to “fulfil himself” through one of the learned professions, and accordingly he sends him to a fine modern college preparatory to Oxford. George learns a great deal at St. Diran's, and proves himself a R ood all-round man ; hut mere booklearning does not satisfy him._ and he does not go to the university. To fulfil his nature lie needs something mode modern and more human. Strange to say, he finds this in trade and the modern conception of commercialism. To link the ends of the earth together; to bring to people not only what they want superficially, hut the deep, innermost needs "of their nature; to satisfy the craving for the beautiful, and also the lower demand for ‘something tasty” ; to encourage obscure hut original workers in various “arts and crafts ; to make people's lives more beautiful, more interesting, more sunny, as a step towards still fuller realisation of their 'own higher selves, is li is aim, though he never puts it into words. In doing this he fulfils himself, and gives expression to his own nature; —“The process had been absorbingly interesting. It had used the whole of him. Instead of being a mere matter of intelligent observation it had involved the deepest researches into the psychology of his period, researches in which intuition was a far better guide than reason. There was not a queer fancy of his childhood that he could afford to ignore. A smile or a stammer had often told him more than the most elaborate explanation on the part of a customer. The irrational fancy was the thing that really mattered. By the time the need was reasoned out it was already being clumsily supplied by his rivals. Facts were always too late. They wore the tombstones of desire. His aim was to find out what the public wanted in its hones at 2 o’clock in the morning, and, speaking generally, what the public wanted in its bones was the best of its kind that could be gut at a reasonable price. One of the first axioms that he printed for the benefit of his staff was: ‘Your best customer is the subconscious mind.’ ” So George Tracy comes upon the romance and psychology of modern trade and learns its principles. But whore is “the catfish” in all this? It is everywhere. It is the organising, driving power behind; the “Divine Discontent” which is ever urging a man to “do his best” to fulfil his own highest ideals; the “doing with all thy might” that which the hand, the heart, the brain, finds to do. The very reverse of the soul-

paralysing theory, “Anything will do.” 'And the spirit of “the catfish” is—throughout this story —specially embodied in the person of Mary Festing, the “understanding woman" ; the feminine principle, which, either - within or without the man. ever urges him up the Hill of Difficulty, towards the highest of which his soul is capable. Mary is not a constant quantity in George's life. She appears from time, to time. Ever a disturbing yet attracting quantity. He loves her, but he is not “in love” with her ; and lie is for a Jong time not able to see how much higher is the former than the latter. . Other women satisfy his mind and his senses : hut Mary is his cam!-mate, and he docs not know it until too late. However, his life ir, a full and happy one, and it is only at rare intervals that the misses, and knows that he misses, the influence of “the cattish” on the ever progressive evolution of his soul. For those who care to read between the lines, Mr Charles Marriott’s new book is indeed a notable achievement.

Cheerfu! Craft.” By R. Ando in. author of “We Three and Troddles.” London : Stanley Paul and Co. <3s 6d. 2s 6d.)

Here we find no problem, psychological or other; just a lively, breezy story of adventures and misadventures, chiefly the latter. If it be true th-at the world owes a debt of gratitude to him who makes it laugh, then it must certainly he indebted to Mr Andom and his creations, to whom the word “cheerful’’ undoubtedly belongs. Broad fun and rollicking jokes chaiacterise the story in which a city clerk rises from obscurity to a position of wealth and dignity, and carries us with him all the way, condoning hie, rascality for the sake of his ready humour and cheerful optimism.

“The Well-Intentioned.” By A. Stodart Walker. Loudon; Andrew Melrose (Cloth; 3s 6d.)

It is seldom that a story is so well-named as this one, in which the weakness of good intentions, unsupported by performance, is admirably worked out. Writ in sand are the good resolutions of a really fascinating, right-thinking hero, Sir Charles Strath ardle, who is liked by many men and loved by almost all women. His manners are charming, his intentions are good. His weakness is, however, as destructive as another man’s strength. He is betrayed by his own amiability, his own kindness of heart, his own unwillingness to give pain. In difficult situations where nothing but an iron resolution could have engineered his escape he allows himself to be turned from the path of rectitude because he has not the courage to say “No.” Very early in the book he has some love passages with a sentimental, emotional little girl named Alice Fairgrieve. Years after he meets her again as the wife of his old friend Dr Lindsay. The situation is not uncommon and might easily have been explained, but Alice loves a touch of intrigue and binds Charles to silence, pretending to meet him as a stranger. The crooked path thus entered on leads to a thousand difficulties. Neither of them is really in love with the other, though Alice plays with her emotions and Strathardlc lacks the courage to shako himself free. Thus catastrophe and ruin nearly overtake both, and they are only rescued from an impossible situation by the courage of Clementine Mackenzie, Charles’s cousin and faithful friend, who refuses to sit calmly by while her “wellintentioned” relative makes a fool of himself. Though Clementine is young her wisdom is great; her ready wit and sparkling conversation give like to the story, and her tender womanly nature and wise tolerance accord with the loyalty which is her heritage from a long line of devoted and heroic ancestry. Again and again she does not see why she should “help Charlie” ; if he is determined to go to ruin he must go “in his own way,” and “perhaps the quicker the better”; but she realises the good which lies at the base of his constitutional weakness and, almost against her will, is compelled to put her strength at the service of his weakness, and, with the maternal instinct so strong in all true women, refuses to resign her claim on his conscience and his heart. The scene of the story is laid in modern Edinburgh, and the pictures of social life and character are unusually brilliant. “The Well-Intentioned” is a piece of literature, and entitled to serious consideration.

The Curse of iho Nile.” By Douglas Sladen. London ; Stanley Ban! & Co. (Picture cover; 3s 6d ; 2s 6d.)

Mr Sladen’.s new book is a powerful historical novel, inspired by the tragedy of Cordon. It gives a picture of life in the Soudan, from the siege and fall if Khartoum to the battle and fall of Om durinan. A romantic love story runs through the whole, and the reader is tronsported into a reign of terror which has few parallels in history, for at that time battle, murder, and sudden death, famine and pestilence, made a wilderness of the Nile provinces, reducing their inhabi-

tants from eight millions to two and a half. Many famous men, including General Gordon and his officers, move on this

stage and hold the readers’ entranced attention. We have good reason for knowing the truth of the details of the wild drama hero unfolded, for three of the Mahdi’s prisoners arj still ali-'e—Sialic Pasha. Charles Neufeld, and Father Ohrwalder, and it is from their narratives that most of the historicn; part of the story has been complied. Moreover, the presen- first Lord of the Admiralty, then a retired subaltern of the 4th Hussars, and

the lamented G. W. Stccvens, who died during the siege of Ladysmith, with numerous other' war correspondents, have left admirable details of the campaign. The materials are, therefore, very great, and .Mr Sladen has made excellent use of them For the -more romantic and fictitious part of the story he has drawn on the Sicilian colonists of Cairo, who in their foreign home still retain their passionate nature, love of intrigue, and secret societies. The heroine, her father and mother, who play a great part in the tale, are all Sicilians, and the women exhibit the best qualities of their race, together witJi

beauty, high courage, and passionate devotion. The result is an historical story of rare excellence.

“ The She-Wolf.” By Maxime Formont. Translated from the French by Elsie F. Buckler. London : Stanley Paul & Co. (3s 6d : 2s 6d.)

Here we have a powerful novel of the life and times of Caesar Borgia, in which history and romance are mingled with a strong hand The title refers to the She-Wolf” as the badge of the city and power of Rome, and the Tory depicts the struggle for supremacy between the “Wolf” and the equally typical “bull” of the Borgias. The central incident tells of the abduction of Alva Colona on the eve of her marriage with Prospero Sarelli, and her incarceration in Caesar’s Roman palace, where she becomes his slave mistress. The subsequent events, following history or tradition, include the coming of the “dark gipsy,” with whom Cseear falls madly in love', and who, in a fit of jealousy, poisons Alva. The end of the tale relates to Caesar’s last days and tragic death. This story is a powerful piece of writing, and give's the reader a glimpse of the mediaeval history of the Eternal City from which comes “that Latin soul which rules us to this day. “ The period chosen is that of the evil days of Pope Alexander VI, of whose son, Ores a r Borgia, it was truly said that no man knew better how to “will his will” and see that it was obeyed.

The Oid Whaling Days.” By Robert M‘Nab, M.A., LL.B. Dunedin, Wellington, London, etc. Whitcombe and Tombs. (Cloth ; 12s 6d.)

Mr M'Nab’s recent addition to the early history of New Zealand is an almost monumental work, incorporating as it does the result of several years’ careful search in record offices, tiles of newspapers, and private collections of letters and documents in England, on the continents of Europe and America, as well as in places nearer home, Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand itself. This mass of material has been collected and collated by Mr M’Nab with loving and painstaking care, and animated by tiie zeal of the patriot and historian. For the latter role it cannot be denied that he has extraordinary gifts; his history being at once accurate and interesting. He assures us that his book contains no statement which has not been thoroughly verified, and that much of it has never before been available to the public—certainly not in a connected form. The dryer part of the history being interspersed with occasional stories, humorous and otherwise, the whole forms very agreeable reading, neither dry nor technical. ‘‘The author’s fondest hopes will be disappointed, and his best efforts will have failed, if there is found an earlier version of any incident recorded in these pages, which are intended to give to the historian, or to anyone else who wants to use them to record fact or to create fiction, absolutely the earliest obtainable version of the incidents chronicled.” Such is Mr M‘Nab’s own statement, and we are satisfied that in this connection his “hopes” wilt not be likely to be “disappointed.” nor will his efforts be found to have failed. When taken in conjunction with the author’s previous work “Murihiku,” the history of “The Old Whaling Days,” from 1830 to 1840, will be found to be very complete. This is the romantic period of our history, and it is, in many respects, unique. Before this period the chief events are shrouded in a mist of uncertianly from which an odd fact emerges here and there. In 1840 the Government took possession, a settled rule was imposed, and the wild lawless days of irresponsible adventure were ended. The reader will understand that the title is descriptive of the period rather than of the subject dealt with. “All historical events during this 10 years are recorded, with the exception of those which deal with Native history”— a subject which is considered by Mr M‘Nab to be out of his province. The plan is continuous, but certain chapters on special subjects have a value of their own. Of course, much material has been necessarily omitted; but in these omissions, as well as in what is recorded, good judgment is shown. Statistics and more technical matter are placed in the various appendices which admit of easy reference. The work is further elucidated by three excer lent indices, under the heads: “Personal,” “Ship,” and “General.” Another matter of much difficulty in ail histories of this nature is concerned with the exact locality of places and the correct spelling of names. This difficulty has been met in various ways : “Some of the place names have been ascertained through reference obtained in the most unexpected places, others by local tradition, but a few have resisted every attempt at identification. The same is true of the spelling, much of which is mostuncertain. The spelling of names of French vessels proved especially difficult to those early mariners whose “education had been neglected,” so that they generally confined their descriptions to the mere term “a French Whaler.” It is, however, in the names of the sailors themselves that imagination ran riot. And some of the examples quoted under this head give a fair sample of one class of difficulty which the present author had to overcome. Mr M'Nab’s style is exceedingly graphic and readable. He begins his book with a sketch of the old days, about 1794, when whalers first began to •‘fish” off tile northern coast, making the Bay of Islands their central depot. “These were sperm whalers who limited the cachalot in the open sea, oyer recognised

whaling grounds in the vicinity of_ our coasts; but their trade cannot be claimed for anv country in particular. It belonged to t'ne open ocean.” The whaling trade dealt with by Mr M‘Nab was of an entirely different kind, and consisted in pursuing and capturing the “right” whales, when they paid their annua! visits to the Xew Zealand bays.” The men who sought these whales were called “Bay Whalers,” and the first cargo of oil from tins source

“which can be identified as coming from th<? South Island of New Zealand, reached Sydney on February 3, 1330.” Thus the opening date is established, and the subsequent history carried on for ten years until

‘‘the coming of the Crown.” I his volume is in every way a valuable addition to the history of the dominion.

LITERARY NOTES. In ‘‘Modern Grub Street” Mr A. St. John Adcock writes: —“In the original Grub street there were no women, but there arc almost as many women as men in it now — faded, tired, suppressed-looking souls, for the most part, haunting the British Museum Reading Room, searching, copying, taking notes tor the behoof of authors, who are affluent enough to employ them thus, and making one feel, seeing them, that the world Would be a healthfuilcr, happier place without this literature that fosters so much misery. They live in cheap boarding-houses, in bleak little flats, in dull back rooms of shabby-genteel roads, eking out their Museum earnings by writing such feeble little tales and articles as weary women can write anti selling them when any ed.tor can bo induced to buy.

—ln the two year* and more that he gave up to his expiop'.tion, Dr Ilcdin crossed the Trans-Himalayas along' seven independent lines, persisting in his work until ho was able to bring away with him data for a complete map of the country. The old notion of the geographers was that s single chain of mountains ran across the plateau, and that on the other side of the mountains there was a fairlv smooth tableland. We now know that trie Trans-Hima-laya is a “ labyrinth of lofty ranges,” constituting one connected system of mountains, the greatest in the world. To our geological knowledge of the country also an important contribution lias been made by the explorer in (lie form of a collection of about 1200 rock specimens. These specimens are now in the hands of Professor Anders Hcnnig, of Lund, and the conclusions ho has drawn from a prolonged and careful studv of them ore to be set forth

in a volume, soon to be published, that will deal with the .scientific results of Dr lledin’s last arduous journey. "The Purveyor’s Path to Success and Stock-breeders’ Manual” is a new book — practical ami genial—by “ the literary butcher,” William Henry Major, of Folkestone. Mr Major lias an amusing anecdote of an objectionable retired grazier, who once travelled as far as Ashford in the same compartment as he:—“Ho was talking of his possessions, and finished up by observing, as lie looked around, ‘Yes, sir; I have three unmarried daughters, and whoever marries them will have a thousand pounds handed over to him on her wedding day.’ A commercial gentleman sitting opposite looked up and said, ‘How many daughters have you?' ‘ Three,’ snapped the okl boy. ‘ Right,’ said the commercial; ‘l’ll take iho lot.’” Perhaps no phrase is more frequently misapplied than ‘‘One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” from Shakespeare's bitterly ironical “Troilus and Cress ida.” The phrase is .not complimentary to humanity. The ‘‘one touch of nature’ Ulysses deser’bes in his cruel speech to sulky Achilles is the common habit of human beings to forget past favours, neglect old heroes, and worship now idols. One touch of nature makes the whole world kin, That all with one consent praise newborn gawds. Though they are made and moulded of things past, And give to dust that is a little gilt More laud than gilt o'er-dnsted. The phrase ‘one touch of nature” has positively no significance apart from its context, though it has been forced into an obscure meaning by popular usage. Only the other day we saw it used as the legend under a picture of an immigrant’s baby saluting an infant of wealth in a railroad station. Ulysses might have discovered that another ‘‘touch of nature” is the common tendency to misapply quotations. There are some delightful stories m Mr Arthur Compton-Kiekett’s book, “‘ William Morris; A Study in Personality” (Jenkins). Once when Morris had been lecturing on “Art, in the Home,” n man wanted to know about a suitable decoration for a kitchen. “ Well, to begin with.” said Morris with a twinkle in his eye, “ I think a flitch of bacon suspended from the coiling is a very good decoration.” “Gothic Architecture ” had been hrs subject when some cocksure youth disputed something he had said about the Middle Ages. “ Young man,” shouted Morris impetuously, “ remember that in talking about mediaeval times, 1 am on my own dunghill!” When someone asked for a definition of robbery. Morris promptly rapped out; “The attempt to live without producing! ' Morris’s lectures sometimes were dull, as on that occasion when he turned to one of Iho ladies and asked her how she liked the lecture. “Not at all!” was the unexpected reply. “ But I thought the colour of your blue shirt charming.” Morris was delighted, as he had taken groat pains to find the right dye.

'— One of the most interesting chapters in Mr D. F. Ellenberger's “ History of the Basuto ” is on the Bushmen, and the startling theory is advanced that they were the minors employed to produce wealth for the navies of Solomon and Hiram. King of Tyre. but. being deserted, became Baroa —i.e., “abandoned people.” and found their way to South Africa 5000 years ago. This is heavy guesi.ng (observes The Times). All evidence goes to show that the Bushmen never possessed mental capacity for any kind of intelligent work, such as mining, nor the physique, for in those days, especially when machinery did not exist labourers had to be sturdy;'nor lias their primitive language ever proved to be a medium for exchange of thought. Mr Elicnberger is very partial to the hypothesis of Hebrew connection. Accounting for the fact that Bushmen artists never delineated the human face, lie suggests that their ancestors wore influenced by the Israelites, who hv the Mosaic law were forbidden to depict the human likeness. And again, when describing the national dress of the early Basuto. lie says: “The women . . • wear . . . round their loin? a gTdlo of twisted grass called the thethanaj which word may bo derived from the Hebrew tinman fa fig tree) of the leaves of which Adam and Eve made t homed vs aprons.” The author's investigation? in the region of religions superstitions and the social life and customs of the early Basuto are instructive and entertaining; the list of tribal emblems, and the reasons for their adoption equally so. 'the use of pebbles as totems is curious if not unique, “ A ho has not seen in former years, and even to-day. piles of pebbles nt the side of the path leading to the abode of an important chief? These pebbles we-rc placed there ley pious persons, who, having reverently ex-

pectorated upon them, would then invoke the shades of the departed:—‘o Gods! arrange it so that I may get some food ’ (from the chiefj.”