A LITERARY LOG

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 12

A LITERARY LOG

ROLLED BY

/ lOTA.

BOOKS ON THE TABLE "Evensong” .... (Beverley Nichols). “Dearest” .... (Helena Grose). “The Eternal Choice” ...., (Joseph Hocking). “Cricket Book 1932-33” (E. H. M. Baillie). “Men of the Jungle” .... .... (lon L. Idriess).

A BITTER PICTURE The Diva’s Decline Irela in “Evensong” is a delineation, not a creation, and the novel is nothing more than a piece of bitter descriptive journalism. It is certainly not an artistic achievement, and while it may advance one’s estimate of the author’s slickness in seizing an opportunity, it cannot enhance his reputation as a literary artist, for if there is one thing apparent in “Evensong,” it is that the bitterness of the author has blinded him to the greater rewards in hate earned, by the assumption of amused tolerance. “Evensong” has been written as if the author were a servant viciously eager to pay off an old score, a servant who would not have dared to do it while the employer lived. One does not have to say that everything said about Irela in this book is true, in order to declare positively an identification. Those who knew Melba can see enough to leave them no alternative to the decision that Melba, with whom this young man was associated, was the model. Whether Nichols has been, just to her or not, really does not matter. “Evensong” is a flagrant case of the transfer of living entity, with a disguise too thin to be noticed, to pages with the excuse that it is a novel. A few years ago a novel which used Charles Dickens unkindly as its central figure, was condemned as a piece of bad taste, but Dickens had been dead many years when it appeared. “Evensong” came out in time to catch a market close enough to the event to obtain some stimulation from her death.

This novel is a nasty picture of the declining years of a woman who was once the queen of song, a woman, who had ruled the world with her voice, and now saw the sceptre slipping away from her. Irela is presented with diabolical clarity, but the author’s bitterness hampers him, and all the while one has to fight the suspicion that she is really caricatured by his hate. IfNichols had been a little kinder, if he had been able to laugh at some of Irela’s foibles, her glaring faults, inconsistencies, tyranny, her queer mixture of infantile vanity and business acumen, he would have achieved a figure of flesh and blood, a figure which would have made this an outstanding novel, instead of what it is: a young man’s dance on the top of a coffin. Irela was a mighty vulgarian; Mr Nichols is not even great. Kober, the impressario who stands about as a figure of doom, is an Interesting personality. A man who loved the voice and, therefore swallowed the insults of the woman, Kober is close enough to enjoy the onset of decay, to know before the crowds do, that Irela is suffering the tortures of those who can see imminent disaster. Pauline whom Irela selfishly keeps at her side until the youthful love compels her to escape to her American photographer, is an insignificant personality, and the others are puppets. There is not enough of Kober and there is too much of Nichols to make Irela acceptable as a living entity. “Evensong” by Beverley Nichols, is published by Messrs Jonathan Cape, Ltd., Londo.n O-’XxX* TAMING THE FLIRT Deirdre Dene, whose family occupied the largest house in its district, somewhere in the countryside of England, was an incorrigible flirt, and a young lady who, in spite of her physical charm, was decidedly objectionable. Miles Endor, an artist struggling with accountancy in order to gain a reliable livelihood as a basis of married life, loved her, although she treated him carelessly, even cruelly. This is the opening situation of “Dearest,” Helena Grose’s most cohesive romance to date. When Deirdre decides to go after the scalp of Peter Quentin, she is endangering the happiness of Ann Page, whom Quentin loves. Their future is darkened by Ann’s good-for-nothing husband from whom she cannot free herself. Deirdre sets out after Peter deliberately and boldly. Advised by the astute and courageous Ann, Miles makes no effort to interfere, and Deirdre is rather surprised to find that he makes virtually no move. A new development enters when the flirt meets Ann’s husband, and goes after, him, to the relief of Quentin, but it is during -this adventure, wtien IMiles is still grimly tactitum, that she realizes how much she is losing. To secure Ann’s freedom for her she leads Page on without compromising herself too far, and we all have the satisfaction of knowing that Miles is aware of her motives. Thus the story can end happily with Deirdre, chastened and more charming in the arms of Miles whose courageous constancy is thus rewarded. “Dearest” by Helena Grose is published by Messrs Mills and Boon Ltd., London, whence came my copy. <MX>OO EMERGING FROM DOUBT In Lancashire, with the mills throwing their long smoking fingers into the sky, Joseph Hocking has set his latest novel “The Elcrnal Choice.” It opens with the gipsy prophecy to Evelyn Templeton that within three months she would be the bride of a man she identifies as Baxter Lancaster, grandson of Owd Amos Lancaster of Baron’s Court, mill-owner and employer of labour for three generations. The prophecy influences the lives of these three, and that of Peggy Edgecumbe as well. Lancaster, a young successful man, is an attractive personality, and a fine man, though the author does allow him to move rather easily into difficulties. When Ruth Townley appears in the story, she has just resigned her post In the Lancaster office because Edgar Butterworth, to whom she acted as secretary, had attempted to kiss her. Stephen Wallace, a young minister in the mill town, who is ardent and effective, is Baxter’s friend, but at one stage both are in love with Peggy. Gradually Ruth becomes a more potent influence, and in spite of misunderstandings her hold over Baxter increases, while Wallace is steadying, but the grip of religious enlightment comes and Baxter emerges from doubts to a clear road. It is the struggle in Baxter’s soul that gives strength to the story and points the purpose of this excellent novel.

“The Eternal Choice” by Joseph Hocking, is published by Messrs Hodder and Stoughton Ltd., London, whence came my copy.

CRICKET IN RECORDS In a week or two the team sent to Australia by the Marylebone Cricket Club will be in the Commonwealth, and public interest in at least four countries of the world will veer to the fight for the Ashes, which Woodfull’s team carried back from England two years ago. Cricket lovers have a fondness for the records of the game and knowing this the Sporting Globe of Melbourne has issued its Cricket Book 1932-33, with complete statistics of the Tests and the averages of the Australian States. This concise and excellent record has been compiled by E. H. M. Baillie, known to cricketers for his articles on the game under the pen name of “Bail.” There is a brief history of the Tests and special articles covering the careers of two of the most remarkable players on the Australian side, Bradman and Grimmett and brief descriptions of the visiting M.C.C. players, as well as brief summaries of the Sheffield Shield games, and a comprehensive list of Australian cricket records. A very valuable book for cricket lovers. Sporting Globe Cricket Book, 193233, by E. H. M. Baillie, is published by The Herald Co., Ltd., Melbourne, whence came my copy. 00000 IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND lon Idriess, who has already established himself with his two works descriptive of the activities of two men in Central Australia, and his war book “The Desert Column,” has added to the debt his readers owe him by turning to his own adventures in Australia, and covering in an absorbing narrative a journey by land from Cairns to Cooktown, which took him into the jungle of northern Queensland, and occupied him and two companions the best part of three years. After the first step to the headwaters of the Mitchell river, they returned to the coast at Port Douglas and then, striking further north, proceeded along Baintree river to the interior, reaching the eastern extremity of the great Dividing Range. From there their track moved nearer to the coast and then north to Cooktown. Three years in the jungle country of northern Queensland brought them into close contact with the natives of this wild area and Idriess, drawing on vivid recollections, is able to make “Men of the Jungle” the most colourful, the most exciting of the works his pen has given to the public. These men went searching for gold, but if “Men of the Jungle” were the only result of the three years’ adventure it would have been worth all the travail and danger. The Old Hatter makes an unforgettable portrait, and no one would forget the incident of the brave native lovers who eloped and entered the white men’s camp pursued by the vengeance of the tribe. The white men assisted them with food and by delaying the pursuit, but nothing is learned of the fate of the lovers. One hopes they escaped to establish another tribe in some other part of the jungle. Idriess has the keen observation of a man who loves the open country, and who understands the natives. This book should be only a part of the library he can give his fellow Australians to help them to know better the country of which so little is known. For New Zealanders it comes as an exciting adventure, and it should be widely read, for it has been written by a man who has a vivid story to tell and who can tell it well. “Men of the Jungle” by lon L. Idriess, is published by Messrs Angus and Robertson Ltd., Sydney, whence came my copy. LONDON’S DEMAND The following books were in demand in London in mid-August:— Fiction.—John Buchan’s “The Gap in the Curtain” (Hodder and Stoughton); Liam O’Flaherty’s “Skerrett” (Gollancz); J. S. Fletcher’s “Murder of the Ninth Baronet” (Harrap); F. Stuart’s “Coloured Dome” (Gollancz). Miscellaneous.—Hector C. Bywater’s “Their Secret Purposes” (Constable); Wyndham Lewis’s “Doom of Youth” (Chatta and Windus); Mona Wilson’s “Queen Elizabeth” (Peter Davies); The Earl of Midleton’s “Ireland—Dupe or Heroine” (Heinemann). SAWDUST Recently a copy of an almost rare first edition of Dickens’s “The Battle of Life” (1846) was sold in London for £260. Only six or seven copies are known to exist.

At a London sale £230 was paid for two autograph letters from Lewis Carroll to the original “Alice,” Mrs Hargreaves.

Sir John Martin-Harvey, the celebrated actor-manager, is writing his autobiography. He is in his seventieth year.

R. S. Garnett, the writer and authority on Dumas, has died at Highgate at the age of sixty-six. He came of a distinguished literary family, and was an uncle of David Garnett, author of “Lady Into Fox,” and a brother of Edward Garnett. His wife, Martha Riscoe, wrote “The Infamous John Friend” and several other widely-read novels.

John C. Moore, whose latest book, “English Comedy,’.’ appeared in July, is the author of two other novels—- “ Dixon’s Cubs” and “Dear Levers”— and a light-hearted travel-book, “Tramping Through Wales.”

Mrs T. F. Hickey, who has written a novel called “Semi-Detached,” is a daughter of “George A. Birmingham” (Canon Hannay). He contributes an introduction. His latest book is “Words of Wisdom,” an anthology culled from the Old Testament and the Apocrypha.

“In order to gain authentic information”—so say her publishers—for her new novel, “God Created Them Apart,” Miss Maboth Moseley acted for a short time as assistant to a private detective. Miss Mosley comes from Yorkshire, and says that two of her ambitions are to obtain her pilot’s “ticket” for flying and to do “social welfare work in the East-end.”

Bernard Shaw has given £l9BB, part of the proceeds of the publication of the letters between himself and Ellen Terry, to the Ellen Terry Memorial Fund. The object of the fund is to buy Smallhythe, the great actress’s former home, for the nation, and convert the large bam into a festival theatre.