A Literary Log.

Southland Times, Issue 19389, 1 November 1924, Page 11 (Supplement)

A Literary Log.

(BY

"IOTA"

THE CALL OF CHlNA.—China has attracted the Western mind and hand since the days of Marco Polo, but it is only in comparatively recent years that popular fiction has claimed it in a wholesale manner. The explanation of this is to be found in the increased popularity of writing popular fiction and the presence in China of larger numbers of the Western peoples. China is still a plat° of mystery, of unexpected beauties, of customs dating back to centuries before our own race became powerful enough to call its fairy stories traditions, and of weird scents. Elsewhere there is no China and so the Western writer finds a field of limitless range, wherein he can find scenes, people and plots without end. Much that is written is unreal. Pei haps the facts are scrupulously fair, but the result is something which does not suggest the Chinese and their ancient home. It is when one comes across a romance like “The Treasure of Ho” that the lack of real truth in these realistic stories becomes fully apparent. L. Adams Beck, who wrote “The Treasure of Ho,” has been writing of China for some years. I admired his short stories in the Atlantic Monthly because they seemed to interpret the country and the people from the inside. His first novel was “The Key of Dreams,” which I have not read, but of ‘The Treasure of Ho” one can speak with enthusiasm. This story is told by John Mallerdean, of the Customs, who can look back over several generations of his family to find the beginning of their unbroken connection with the country, and it has its rise in a pleasure visit to an old Buddhist temple—The Temple of August Peace—beyond the Western Hills. There Mailerdean is welcomed by an old priest who astounds him by naming his family at once. Mailerdean is plunged immediately into occult things, though he is led to this development by a blow to his head in an accident, and he sees the past—the death of an earlier John Mallerdean and his wife in this very temple. He emerges from the experience in a whirl of doubt, but the old priest assures him that what he has seen is the truth, and he augments the story with a revelation of buried treasure that once belonged to Ho, the statesman whom the earlier Mallerdean served. During the Boxer outbreak of 1900, Mallerdean is thrown in with the Blind Man of Hupei and from him learns that the Dowager Empress is also seeking the treasure hidden by Ho and his friend many years before. The Blind Man of Hupei is clairvoyant and through him we are put in touch with events within the Forbidden City where the Dowager Empress is scorning the advice of those who would show her the futility of relying on the Boxers to drive the foreigners out of *he country. But the important element in this acene is the meeting with Sie, who is found to be the daughter of the woman who met death in the Temple of the August Peace. The experienced reader can tell from this how the broad lines of the plot will move, but that should not lead him to think that there is no suspense, no dramatic interest remaining in Adams’s pages. In China all things are possible, the ages meet, the occult comes in contact with the heavy physical and romance throws its glamour over everything. So in the search for the treasure of Ho, John Mallerdean goes through strange adventures and electrifying dangers, which lead him at last to—but you must read the story yourself to find the end of the seeking. In these pages, however, the best thing is the manner in which the author has reproduced the atmosphere, the feel of China. “The Treasure of Ho” is excellent work, and it should not be missed, because in novels of this kind it is possible to get closer to the Chinese mentality than one can in a dozen heavy tomes from the pens of the scientists—the romanticist is essential for the interpretation of China. “The Treasure of Ho” is published by Dodd, Mead and Co., of New York, my copy coming from Dymock's of Sydney.

A WELCOME REUNION.—In the early days of my log-rolling in this column it was my pleasure to recommend with what force I could muster a delightful story of artists and musicians in London, called “Mendoza and a Little Lady,” by William Caine, and it is, therefore, good to have the chance to say, after a re-reading of its pages, that this romance fully deserved the good things I said of it years ago. In many of William Caine’s novels there are diverting touches which betray an original mind, but in none of them can there be found a more interesting, a more lovable, or a more skillfully interpreted character than Mendoza the artist who is drawn into the world of romance that eddies about the charming “little lady.’’ You remember Locke’s “Beloved \ agabond” ? Of course you do if you have read Locke, because he has never given us anybody to stand in front of that gay, ragged hero. Well, Mendoza, successful and confident, is worthy of a niche near . Locke’s beloved figure, because though he belongs to the same family, he is unique and, therefore, to be revered. To-day I find myself chuckling as whole-heartedly as on the occasion of my first reading at the glad night when Mendoza and his Spanish friend indulge in dance and music before the excited eyes of the “little lady ” O it is good to meet such people again! And so my deep salaams to Angus and Robertson for the issue of "Mendoza and a Little Lady” in the cheap Platypus Series—and so near to Christmas, too!

THE HAPPY NATURALIST.—Thoreau and White, to name only two, deserve the eternal reverence of their fellows for making natural history interesting to the uninterested, and for blazing the way for the modern lover of Nature who is doing valuable work to-day in bringing the distant bush and upland into the great armchairs of the library, where little people may curl their legs under them and read, in the exclusiveness which single-minded attention affords, until past bedtime. Ernest Thompson Seton, who personified the wild animals with a success not eclipsed by Kipling, was a splendid friend to the kiddies, for he seemed to understand them as surely as he understood the wild things of the open spaces. Luckily for us in this part of the world, there has been no neglect of the field offered by wild life, and as both Australia and New Zealand possess so many unique features in birds and beasties, the opportunities abound. In Australia there is already a fine shelf of books to teach the Australian what the birds and beasts of the Commonwealth mean, but in that excellent collection there is nothing to eclipse Charles Barrett’s "Bushland Babies,” which interprets the young life jrf the bush to the young Australian in terms that make the pages a succession of glorious adventures. This is the story of' a cxty boy's—be was eight—visit to the bush at Wilangi, where his little cousin had her home. In their rambles meet with birtte and animals of all kinds and shapes, and it is these bushland people that we

see through Colin’s eyes. The book cannot fail to have a great interest for the adult, who will be captivated by the first picture —a Koala mother and her young—the Teddy Bear in real life—but this is only one of a generous assortment of excellent photographs. “Bushland Babies” is natural history in an attractive garb, and it will be read avidly by the youngsters, when they can get the book from their adult competitors. “Bushland Babies” is one of the Platypus Series, and comes to me from Angus and Robertson of Sydney.

ENTERTAINING STORIES.—W. Pett Ridge is one of Britain’s most entertaining story tellers and his name is generally associated with brief flights of fancy undertaken for the delighting of readers of English magazines. This may seem a poor recommendation in the eyes of New Zealand people who devote more time to American fiction magazines than to the English, largely due, I think at times, to the former’s more attractive illustrations and their more interesting advertisements. People complain of a “sameness” in stories presented in England’s popular magazines, but analyse the Americans and you will find repetition as securely entrenched. The things that change are the illustrations and the names of the movie actresses. A glance through this collection of stories by Pett Ridge in “Leaps and Bounds” will convince you that there is as much diversity in plot and type as you could get in an equal number of American short stories, and incidentally you’ll enjoy them. The opening exercise of the three men who set out to rescue a woman in distress is neat, and “The Lift” in which a dear old man promises a fortune to a girl who helps him in a ’bus is another well-turned yarn. “Caught Substitute,” “Debit and Credit,” and “A Man Alive” are also excellent stuff. These are genuine short stories—helpful in a train journey if you have no desire to plunge into one long literary expedition. These are little moments snatched from the hours and they are mighty enjoyable under the spell of Pett Ridge. “Leaps and Bounds” is published by Mills and Boon, London. ,

ABOUT STEWART ISLAND—I have received from thoes who have been responsible for its production an attractive booklet on Stewart Island. Published under the more musical title of “Rakiura,” the excellent work is a magnetic invitation to cross Foveaux Strait or a reminder of glowing days spent in a land of impressive beauty. A fine collection of photographic views is the backbone of this interesting booklet, but they are linked together with a brightly written narrative, which in turn is ornamented by a series of thumb-nail sketches, the work, I am given tn understand, of a Southland girl still in her teens. They are extremely well done harbour undoubted humour. "Rakiura” is a creditable piece of work from all viewpoints; but then the compilers had a magnificent subject on which to work. Visitors tn the Island will want one of these booklets as a souvenir of happy days there, and if they don’t know anything of the Island’s wonders this ,publication will induce them to become passengers on the Theresa Ward in quick time.

AUSSIE.—The latest issue of “Aussie” contains several new features, making this popular magazine brighter and better than ever. “Aussie” is an ideal companion these rushful days, its clever, clean and bubbling humour being irresistible. The New Zealand Section gives an added local interest to the paper for it is here that we see some promising humorous writers and artists at work. “Aussie” well deserves its wonderful popularity.

LONGMANS.— This year Longmans, the oldest English firm of publishers, celebrates its second centenary. Some time in the year 1724, Thomas Longman, the first, hung out his Signs of the Ship and the Black Swan, emblems which are still the crests of the house. That big prices were paid authors in those days is shown by the fact that Thomas Longman, son of the founder, offered Thomas Moore £3OOO for "Lalla Rookh” before a line of it was written. This fact is given by James Milne, in an entertaining article on the subject in the London Daily News. The third Thomas Longman, Mr Milne writes, visited Walter Scott in 1802 and bought the copyright of the “Border Minstrelsy,” and was also interested in “The Lay of the Last Minstrel,” for which, after the first edition had been exhausted, he offered £5OO. Scott accepted the offer, and afterwards the publishers added £lOO more in "their own unsolicited kindness, to supply the loss of a fine horse which broke down suddenly while the author was riding with one of the worthy publishers.” Macaulay, who published “Lays of Ancient Rome ’ with Longmans, thought so little about the verse that he made them a present of it. The work was, of course, given back to him, and became very valuable, both to Macaulay and his family. In 18437 Mr Milne says, Macaulay was doubting whether his “History of England” would be of any permanent value. He was wrong, because the history became famous and was such a success that on March 13, 1856, the author got a cheque from Longmans for £20,000 as his share “on account” of the profits of the third and fourth volumes.

SOME SPLINTERS BY THE WAY.— Olive Arden wrote “Sinners in Heaven” for a Leonard Parsons competition, and though unknown to him, she sent the manuscript to E. F. Benson for his criticism. He, obliging fellow, went through it* and suggested changes. Miss Arden rewrote the story and won ’

Herman Melville’s sea novel, “Billy Budd. ’ never before printed, is included in the first of the four new volumes of his works published in London by Constable. It contains, so J. Middleton Murry says: “A deliberate effort to re-state the mystery of Christ. The four volumes complete the “Standard” edition of Melville. The supposed original of Horace Annesley Vachell’s “Quinney,” Thomas Rohan, an antique dealer, of London, is the author of an autobiography which Mills and Boon are publishing. It is called “Confessions of a Dealer. ’ Mr Vachell’s newest book is “Leaves of Arcady,” a Cassell publication. From- Scheveningen, Holland, a sad note

It seems that these people have reduced the ocean to a perfume which one should sprinkle carefully on one’s silk or lace handkerchief from time to time, take little sniffs of it and say: “By George, the ocean, isn’t it?” . . . The proverbial Dutch girl figure has disappeared to such an extent, what with the craze for American styles, that I beard a Dutchman of conservative tastes remark the other day: “Yes, it’s difficult to tell nowadays with most of those girls. However, I have invented a method of my own. When *you see the brooch, that’s the front.” <

One of Samuel Pepys’s own books was sold a little while ago in London at the last Hodgson sale of the season. It was F. Willughby’s “Ornithology,” with additions by J. Ray, 1678, and was dedicated to the diarist. The Pepys bookplate and coat of arms added value to the item, which was purchased by Weldon and Wesjey for £3l 10/-. At the same sale a copy of the first edition of “Waverly,” brought £29. With it was a letter from Francis (Lord) Jeffrey, in which he said: “I think it is a book that will do to read oftener than once.” One, American critic makes an interesting point about Conrad. The novelist’s mother died in exile in Siberia and one might reasonably expect in him a bias against Tsardom and its agents, but in “Under Western Skies,” remarks this critic, “the case of the hero of the novel, Razumov, a Russian patriot turning secret agent .of the Czarist autocracy from the loftiest motives of patriotism to fight the revolutionists because he sees in them merely the destroyers and not the builders of his country—his case is stated with a generosity of heart and a profundity of insight worthy of a saint!”

Recently John Galsworthy confessed that he once received a letter from a candid admirer who started by saying: “I am reading youf new story with interest, but without pleasure.” « A recent publication of interest was “The Life ofi the Bat,” by the famous French nature writer, Charles Dercnnes. All the daily and nightly activities of the bat are described in a manner that has been compared to that of Fabre in his stories of the insect world. "The book is translated from the French by Louise Collier Wilcox. Valentine Williams, of whose new book “The Three of Clubs,” recently published by Hodder and Stoughton, the New York Times said that “the writing . . . stands out by reason of the almost Poe-like deftness of atmospheric suggestion,” left for New York on October 18 on his first visit to the United States. He has been spending the summer at St. Jean de Luz, in the Basque country, touring round the battlefields of Wellington’s Peninsular campaign. His next novel, "The Rod Mass,” will be published next year by Hodder and Stough- , ton.