A Literary Log.

Southland Times, Issue 18969, 16 June 1923, Page 9 (Supplement)

A Literary Log.

(BY

“IOTA.”)

THE PRISON SHlP.—Gaston Leroux, he author of “The Mystery of T he Yellow Room.’’ has written some excellent detective stories, but in ‘ The Floating Prison” he has obtained his thrills with an accompaniment of horror. No expects to find romance on a ship conveying convicts to the French penal settlement and Leroux has not been unorthodox but from' the first page he interests his leader* and after forewarning him of. pending sensations. proceeds to evolve a series of sensational events which defy elucidation until the author is ready to explain. The chief character is a master criminal known as Cheri-Bibi, for whom Leroux endeavours in vain to excite sympathy by a recital of wrongs done to him in his youth. Cheri Bibi is in solitary confinement on the prison ship, manacled and guarded, bvt c-n him the other prisoners rely to set them free and capture the ship. “Impossible, says the reader who does not know his Leroux. But Cheri-Bibi succeeds brilliantly in spite of the vigilance of the ship’s officers. He escapes from his cell and with a female criminal, known as the Countess, disappears. A search of the vessel is resultless and at the opportune moment Cheri-Bibi, releasing his comrades captures the vessel. It is then that one discovers the presence of his confederates on the vessel—a serious criticism of the French authorities surely! Then coincidence steps in with heavy tread. A boatload of castaways is picked up and among the rescued, Cheri-Bibi, now masquerading as the captain the ship’s officers have been put in the cages as prisoners—finds his enemy, the man who was the cause of his early downfall and his subsequent career of crime. Then we have some fine thrills. Among the criminals is a doctor, known as the Kanaka, who with his wife, the Countess, was sen; to gaol for cutting strips of flesh from people. No one knows the reason for this crime, Leroux manages to suggest cannibalism, which adds to the horror of the story. We find out later, however, that the doctor’s interest lay in changing the appearance of people by means of the transference of skin and before the end of the book we realise that Cheri-Bibi has had his appearance changed, presumably by the transference of the features of his old enemy to hi own face! This makes way for the sequel called “CheriBibi and Cecily” in which we may expect to read the further thrilling adventures of this horrible mail, The book is thrilling rather than; adyuing, and for those who like to goose-fleshy when taking their fiction, "The Floating Prison" is - excellent fare. It is published by the Australasian Publishing Company of Sydney,. whence tame my copy.

THE MAKING OF A SNOB. -There is a wealth of human nature in the broad fine of Silas K. Hocking’s theme for "Where the Roads Cross.” Doubtless many Labour politicians, many Socialists »wili hail his picture of Peter Hindle as a cruel exaggeration, but if they are honest with themselves they will admit that the effect of acquired wealth on the generality of worker politicians is to make them snobs. This effect of suddenly acquired wealth is not confined to any strata of society, but Hocking desires to show that the grandiloquent doctrines of the Brotherhood of Men are not proof against personal ambition. In Russia the people have discovered th:.: commissars who prate of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the equality of sacrifice in communism also have a habit of acquiring worldly goods and of creating class distinction to their own glorifi -aiion. Personal ambition is a powerful f >rce and the altruism often goes down before it. The result in the majority of case.- is the creation of a snob. Peter Hindle a? a Social ist orator in a small town in '.i:gland and be was engaged to a domestic ca’led Betty, whom he was always urging to abandon service because it was degradin 7. Suddenly from a rich uncle in Australia <ame a legacy of £40,000 and Peter beian to look at the current political doctrines from a new angle. He at once felt the desire to mix with “better people” and we find him buying his way into society, while he is engaged in jettisoning his Soci di tic ideals. Betty he regards as unsuitable, but she goes off to Egypt as a lady s companion, meeting in Cairo a lawyer, Dennis Buckrose. They fall in love with each other, but Betty is loyal to Peter and refuses Dennis's proposal of marriage. Peter on the other hand is climbing in snobbery and is trying to make a helpful match. When he sees the improved Betty h~ endeavours to make up for his earlier nerDst, but in vain. Betty has climbed without money and without becoming a snoi ; but Peter is an unsufferable bounder and finally gpts tangled in the wile of a desi ,n ng young lady and no one feels any regrets for him. Mr Hocking’s story is light an I interesting without being inspiring. Presumably the moral of the story is that we: th suddenly acquired is harmful, that Socialistic doc trines will not stand up against human nature, and tfiaf money is not :n advantage to a maid* Certainly il reveals the snobbishness of Peter and in ihat it did good work. "Where the Loads Cross’’ comes from the Australasian Publishing Co., of Sydney, through Hyndman’.'. AUSSIE AGAIN.— The latest Aussie is 8 contribution of brightness, end it holds its unique place with such firmness that one can harbour a lone regret —that its appearances are not more frequent. The New Zealand section is improving, and its quality suggests that the S.O.S. to the Dominion writers and artists is going to be productive of good results in the magazine’s pages and out. of it. Aussie is well printed and it is as full of good things as a pro perly made mince pie—long may both of them reign! TOURIST RESORTS.— The ?<ew Zea land Government's publicity bureau is get ting into its stride again and there have appeared two new booklets to make known the attractions of the Dominion. One deals exclusively with Rotorua and the other, slightly larger, treats of the whole Dominion ; but one notices in the references to Southland a complete absence of any men tion of the dairying industry. Southland is credited with growing oafs and wheat and with extending the production of meat. Evidently the Publicity Department has no knowledge of the amount of butter, cheese and wool Southland produces. RUNNING A MOTOR-CAR.— To-day the owner of a motor car is very interested in the cost of running his conveyance but very few drivers have any knowledge of the way to arrive at that desired information. To assist him. Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs (Christchurch' have published the Motorist’s Car and Runing Costs Record Book, a slim volume which should end his difficulties In it the year's history of his

Invercargill, June 16. car may be recorded and he may discover exactly what his Lizzie or his Rolls Royce has cost him. A useful section gives a variety of hints as a first aid in time of trouble. This book is cheap and will be useful to me when I can save enough money to acquire a bubble-bus. THE SECOND CRITIC.— The second issue of the new fortnightly published in Auckland, The Critic, is brighter than the first and will make more friends. There is an interesting article by Mr T. Bloodworth on “House Shortage,” a statement of the position in connection with rural credits; but the journal is still expansive and general where it should be definite detailed and authoritative. The depart ments devoted to music and drama and to racing need improving sadly, and the special articles require more weight. This journal is still experimental and we may look for improvements with succeeding numbers. The Critic deserves to succeed. GEORGE SANTAYANA.— Here aresom?: sayings taken at random from George* Santayana’s "The Life of Reason”: There is nothing cheaper than idealism. It can be had by not observing the inedptL tude of our chance prejudices. Everything in human life is ominous, even voluntary acts. We cannot by taking thought add a cubit to our stature, but we may build up a world without mean•t. Man is as full of potentiality as he is of impotence. Temptation has the same basis as duty. The difference is one of volume and permanence in the rival satisfactions. Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Nature carries its ideal with it, and the progressive organisation of rational impulses makes a rational life. A cat’s avertion to water will not disturb a fish’s plan of life. It is not society’s fault that most men =eem to miss their vocation. Most men have no vocation. Inequality is not a grievance. Suffering For a man of sluggish mind and bad manners there is decidedly no place like home. When men and women agree, it is only in their conclusions; their reasons are always different. A conception not reduceable to the small change of daily experience is like a currency not exchangeable for articles of consumption; it is not a symbol but a fraud. Ability to revert to elementary beauties is a test that judgment remains sound. The rose's grace could more easily be •Jucked from its petals than the beauty of art from its subject, occasion, and use. Popular poets are the parish priests of the Muse, retailing her ancient divinations to a long since converted public. Those who call ordinary events unreal do not on that account find anything else to think about. The Puritians regarded elaborate music as diabolic, little knowing how soon some of their descendants would find religion in nothing else. Wealth must justify itself in happiness.

THE RIGHT WORD.— In his “Advenures Social and Literary” (T. Fisher Unwin l, Douglas Ainslie tells some good stories with a literary flavour. Among them is an amusing tale of the late Henry James, :he novelist, who had a passion for finding the right word. They were on the bridge of the Rialto, at Venice. It began to rain, and they had no umbrellas. James placed his hand upon my shoulder. remarked that we had both sallied forth to the fray, modern PaladuA unarmed—with—here he paused, ancSnegan fumbling as usual for a word. Meanwhile several heavy drops fell and I became anxious to get under cover, so I very imprudently hazarded the fatal word—umbrella. The mischief was done; his gra«p upon my shoulder tightened as he frowned, not in anger, but in the mental effort to find an alternative word. His brow was wrinkled with thought, he tapped the pavement with h’s toe as the heavy drops tapped our bowlers. Escape was hopeless before an eminent American novelist (he was not yet naturalised British) in the throes of compos : tion. He looked up the canal anxiously; then he looked equally anxiously down the canal, emitting the while strange little gurgling sounds in his throat, which connoted the throttling of crowds of harmless, excellent vocables, only too anxious to be of service. It began to pour, and I felt so desperate that I wrenched myself free with the unfeeling remark: "Well, it’s an umbrella that I want at any rate.” I left dear James gazing after me as the raindrops trickled from the tip of his hat on to his nose. He was still seeking the correct word (other than umbrella) when J turned the corner of the bridge. SOME CHIPS. —On April 10 Hodder and ?toughton published the latest novel by John Owen, the author of "The Cotton Broker” and “Robert Gregory.” This novel w called "The Hoarding,” and the central theme i.- the world of advertising. The Pen Club, a literary’ dining club founded in 1921, has very quickly attained an international as well as a local standing. and at its dinner on May 1 it had probably th** most interesting gathering 01 literary lions and lionesses ever corralled in one room. Mr John Galsworthy was president, and the English writers who were present included Sir James Barrie and H. G. Vyells. Foreign lions came long distances to the gathering. They included Blasco Ibanez, the writer of "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (Spain) ; John Bojor, author of "The Power of a Lie” (Norway) ; Romain Rolland, author of "Jean Christophe.. (France); Gerhardt Hauptman, the dramatist (Germany) ; Kate Douglas Wiggin. Arlington Robinson and Maxwell Aley (America) ; and Nicholas Jorga (Rumania). Italy, Austria, Denmark, Belgium and Holland were also represented by nationals of literary distinction. The club takes its name from the three classes indicated by its letters, poets and playwrights, essayists and editors, and novel 18t8. Robert Keable. author of "Simon Called Peter” and of “Peradventure." is in Papeette, Tahiti, living in the house which once belonged to the painter Gauguin. He is at work on a new novel. Rafael Sabatini has chosen the Great Plague of London as the setting for a new historical romance that he has just completed. The book will be published in the early autumn with the title of “Fortune's Fool.”

The Hatton Garden Press. London, will bring out shortly "A Dickens Atlas,” pre-

pared by Albert A. Hopkins, editor of the American Dickensian, and Newbury Frost Read. It will contain not only maps of the scenes of the Dickens’s novels, but ground plans of inns and other buildings, showing the very rooms occupied by the various characters in the books. The accompanying text gives references to (he novels by chapter number. The Atlas will be issued in a limited edition of 175 copies for the United States and Canada, and 125 for England. The edition was practically exhausted before it was on the press. Johan Boier, the Norwegian novelist, is known in the Scandinavian gountries as a dramatist of distinction as well. Before the war he was one of Germany’s favourite playwrights. His first success was a drama called "The Mother.” Fru Fieldgaard, an actress of European renown, created the leading role in a recent four-act play entitled "Sigurd Braa," which was produced with great success in Norway.