BOOK OF THE WEEK

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1931, Page 1 (Supplement)

BOOK OF THE WEEK

a Volume to be prized

(By

C.E.)

“Tlia Trader’s Wife,’’ by Jean Kenyon Mackenzie: Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd., London, through W. S. Smart, Sydney.

In one of those delightful essays that I discussed last week Mr. C. E. Montague . says there are three ways of saying things, or, at any rate, of trying to make them attractive when uttered. You may state them about twice as big as they are, or about half as, big as they are, or, if you have skill and com-plete-confidence in your skill, you may statg them only just as big as they are. One may suppose that exaggeration is the most widely used of the three methods, and also that the way of stating things only just as big as they are is the most difficult. As Mr. Montague implies, the success of the difficult method depends upon the literary skill of the writer and the extent of his confidence in his ability. And from that one would deduce that the writer who is simple and direct, unaffected and restrained, careful to avoid both over-statement and under-statement — that such a writer is a craftsman. I have been reminded of Mr. Montague's essay by the book I have read this week, ‘‘The Trader’s Wife.” It is a novel of IGO short pages, which is a remarkably small allowance these days, when some of the best writers are inclined to regard the production of a novel as a marathon contest. Yet Miss Jean Kenyon Mackenzie contrives to tell her whole story—a very poignant story indeed —within this short compass, and to leave her readers with the impression that she has omitted nothing which could have improved her tale in any way. That is an evidence of the craftsmanship which Mr. Montague would have applauded, and he would have been equally pleased with the simplicity and restraint, the smoothness and grace of a very capable writer. Many readers, I am sure, will be not less pleased if they will take this opportunity of making Miss Mackenzie's acquaintance. I have to confess that this is my first experience of her work, though 1 understand she is well known to America, having contributed many a weighty paper to the Atlantic Monthly as well as a serial which attracted much attention. Her father ministered to the Presbyterians of Riverdale, a suburb of New York, exercising a powerful influence in the community. His daughter's literary work indicates similar strength of character.

Her story of the,traders wife is worked out in West Africa, where Miss Mackenzie spent many years, and it relates to a time when the heroine, an American woman, wore a crinoline and the abolition of slavery was the greatest topic of the day. The trader, Harford, has already abandoned the traffic in slaves before he returns on furlough to Boston. There, no longer a young man, he astonishes himself by falling in love with Lucy Williams, a young woman of good birth and considerable intellectual attainment, whose life has not been easy. Harford’s idea apparently is to leave his wife at Boston and ■himself go back on his legitimate trade mission, but for her it is a matter of duty to accompany him, and Lucy Harford is one of tjiose women to whom duty is life. As he watches his wife packing. for the journey, taking all her belongings that are so suitable for Boston, but inust be altogether out of place in primitive Africa, he wonders how she tan possibly adjust herself to the new 'conditions. But he is to learn that 'Lucy does not cry out; with simple courage she faces new experiences of a kind calculated to shatter the nerves of a woman of her upbringing. Of the story itself I need not say a great deal. 'There is always a sort of undercurrent of the slave trade. Harford is true to his decision to take no part in the traffic, but his former partner is still engaged, and the time comes when Lucy is 'brought into close contact with a gang of wretches awaiting shipment. The former partner, a Spaniard, houses his slaves in an old barracoou on Harford’s property, but the ship for them is slow in coming and food is scanty. Harford would keep from his wife knowledge of what is going on, but that is impossible. Lucy not only ■hears and sees, but her own attendant ■enlightens her. She also learns other things, for the Spaniard has a handsome native mistress, and for the first time Lucy becomes aware of the fact ■that her husband also before his marriage followed the custom of the lonely white men on the coast. Yet Lucy goes her steadfast way, and the tragedy that ends the story is more glorious than melancholy. Miss Mackenzie has undoubtedly created a character that will live. Lucy’s simplicity, her loyalty to her duty, her ability to face new experiences- quite unafraid—even death has no terrors for her—these are qualities that make her a great heroine. The rest of the characters fall naturally into subsidiary rank, yet the authoress demonstrates ■the same thoroughness and sureness in her depiction of them. Especially is it to be remarked that the natives who attain any prominence in the story are drawn with sympathy and understanding. Miss Mackenzie ranges her characters with an unerring sense of values. As in her delineation of character so in her framing of her pictures is the authoress precise and confident. There is no effort on her part to write highsounding descriptions, and she is remarkably lacking in superlatives. Yet one gathers an illuminating impression of strange scenes and places from the utterly unobtrusive background. Perhaps one could best say that unity of tone is the pre-eminent characteristic of Miss Mackenzie’s work, and it is a characteristic which may well entitle her to a place in literature. It is gratifying to know that her publishers have understood and appreciated the spirit of Miss Mackenzie's work and have housed it in most suitable surroundings. The book is of the ordinary hovel depth, but a little wider than usual, and the extra space supplies wide margins, which always suggest quality. The choice of type is excellent and the typographical work has been done more carefully than usual; in fact, the publishers have put out what is almost an edition de luxe. This work has been made the easier by their association with a very clever artist, Andre Durenceau, whose illustrations are as full of character as the story itself. They have been reproduced from woodcuts, which give a quaintness of atmosphere that is most fitting. “The Trader’s Wife” is a volume which every lov'er of books should be glad to add. to his 'collection.