Literary Notes.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13644, 11 July 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Literary Notes.

'• New Worlds of Old," by B. G. Wells, is the subject of the . following review in the '.'Literary World The boob we review below deals, along une.i of its own, with the great subject of Socialism, and it is principally as a Socialist that its author has chosen to ( move before the eyes of the public.-during .the laufc year or two. He has been called 'the Labour leader of the middle classes.' He is one of the most distinguished .inem- I bers of the Fabian Society, wherein he has made in his province to rule his behaviour and utterances in such a manner as may exert a . steadying and restraining influence upon the outbursts of erratic members like Mr Shaw, Mr Chesterton, and Mr Belloc. .Before he was" a. Socialist, or rather before he became a famous one, Mr Wells was known as a writer of stories. ' Born story-tellers are things so rare that we feel tempted to exclaim at the'seeming defection of :i single one of them. It appeal's to us that the author of ' The Time Machine' and 'The War of tile .trVorlds' has no longer the time for writing any more such tales; he is perpetually addressing crowds of earnest young men who wear 1 ect ties, or he is speculating in the Press on the future of Society. We know, of course, that he is responsible for a serial now appearing in one of the magazines,- entitled 'The War in the Air,' and we are glad that a genuine master of fiction "is turning '.his hand to it), again . -Meet' Of Mr Wells' adinirers know something of his life-story; that- his youth was passed in straightened circumstances, if not m actual poverty; that his tales of the lives of counter-jumpera and assistant masters in third-rate provincial are given to us from a fund of personal reminiscence. He struggled on till he had taken a science degree, but his health broke down: He saw that a life of class-teaching was not for him, and he became an ' occasional' journalist, the "Pall Mall Gazette" acting as the chief medium, between himself and the public. Then -he wrote; 'The Time Machine,* first printed in "The National Observer," and- it proved an immediate success. Since then Mr Wella has had but little rest. He has -published some fifteen mote or less fantastic romances since* that first little book made such a hit.. There is -this initial difference between Mr Wells's book on Socialism and the many weighty volumes on the aame subject that hare preceded "it. The others, the many, have each an index; Mr Wells's book has none. This difference is fundamental, indicative. Mr Wells does not build up uis theory on the matter furnished by research; he does not attempt to elucidate any elaborate theory of economics by expounding' a development of the science from Adam Smith to Karl Marx ; lie ' does not .'ce the growth of State interference nor the phases of ownership . and capitalism; he is creative, constructive, an optimist who believes in the 'Good WilL' in man. xiis work, therefore, really needs no index, since it is the result of the writer's own thought, not a collation of the thoughts of others. Not of course, that we could imply for a moment that Mr Wells has not read and pondered over all those numerous works of the past hundred years or so, together with the mass of material now being poured out on this subject of Socialism; we know' that lie is learned in this matter, but he has away of assimilating his gathered knowledge. When he writes, liis work bears the stamp of originality . His facts may be taken from an education report of the London County Council, or. one of Klihu s tracts, but his style of treatment, his constructive theories, his ■ glorious optimism,' are essentially his own. Let us see how he .figures the subject! He begins by saying ol his own ouuook that "To him Socialism present's. itself as a very noble but ua- very human and fallible system of ideas' and motives'," a system that grows and develops. ' He' regards its spirits, its intimate substance as the most helpful thing in human affairs at the present time, but he dote also find- it shares with all mundane' concerns the quality of inadequacy and error," arid later that " Socialism, then," as he understands .it, is a great intellectual process, a development of' desires and ideas that takes the form of a project—a project for "the reshaping of human society upon new and better lines." This gives us the keynote of his present book. Looking back to his other books, "we can see what Mr. Wells would .have us .become. YW. can bud his ideal state.in 'A Modern Utopia' or 'ln the JJays of the Cornet,' find something of his constructive programme in 'Anticipations' and 'Mankind in 'the Making.' But in " New \Vorlds for Old " we have a more detailed account of the oteps by which we may reach"the imagined' milleniuin. We. come to a closer consideration first of the evils that exist, and, second, of the means for their alleviation by collective ownership. The manner of achieving the desired end is pointed out by an examination of' the need- for municipalisation and nationalisation in .various directions, and the anticipated , good seems so clear, .so nevitabie by Mr Wells's method ■ that" it gives cause for >Vonder that the whole civilised world should not be converted to-morrow. Expropriation, •for instance, would seem so easy of accomplishment, for we read' that " Expropriation must be - a -gradual process, a,' process of economical and political adjustment, accompanied at every step by an explanatory educational advance. iiiere is no reason why a cultivated property owner should not welcome and .hasten its coming." Surely that cultivated, property owner must see that, if he is compensa-

ted'- not perhaps " fully"■■ but "reasonably and that he' is helping mankind in its struggle, he must, -he cannot fail to, work with all his heart in - this great, cause. Again, on- the same ; subject of human greed, Mr Wells says: " This fact must be insisted upon, thai most of the work of the world and all the good work- is done to-day for some other motive man giin; that profit-seeking not only is not the moving power of the world but -—it it cannot be, that it runs'counter to the doing of effectual work in every depart-

nient of life. It is hard to know, how feo set about proving a fact t-liat is to the writer's perception so universally obvious. And later comes-this admission: "I -will confess I find it hard to write with any patience and civility oi this argument that humanity wil nob work-except for greed or need of money and_ only in proportion to the getting. It is; so patently absurd." And yet Mr Wells does, not postulate an ethical revolution. 'ilie truth of the whole matter is »J r \Vells is so filled with'the 'Good Will' of which he speaks, so saturated with kindliness and with the love of his species, that lie will see nothing of his iellow-.

man is not good or ciipa-blo of bohig turned into-good. He -endows us with fiis own largeness, of lieai't arid breadth of outlook, and finds it' liavd to write \fitli civility of anyone whose experience Has led hinfi -to ' believe that man is compounded of greed, envy, and all' uncharitableness. It is very refreshing this, so, refreshing in fact, that in the seclusion of l|ie study ; wo may believe—if only for ail hour of it is all true, ailpossible. It gives us dreams,- this book, of glorious possibilities, possibilities uiat appear so close to us; we see a Utopia fairer .than any pictured by Sir Thomas Slore, and see it almost within reach. We see young' men working for a. common weal, content to give a few of their earlier years to the distasteful drudgery, of dleaning streets, supervising sewage,, or driving trams; youiig men . filled with a' glorious altrifism, intent not upon gain but upon the good of fhe State, which is the people. And"then we wake' to remember that we have been" charged' enter a complaint against our- grocer

for introducing alien, non-nutritive matter into our supplies and we remember that our grocer is reputed ricli, and wonder whether It is solely the. stress of competition that has . induced him to risk prosecution in order to tamper with our food. We haye our doubts, also, Whether this same grocer of ours; or any other-of our prosperous acquaintances, would '"welcome and hasten' the coming of State ownership—but then, possibly, that is because they are not ' cultivated.' We feel almostsorry that Mr. Wells should qualify the application of the remedy; nearly we had begun to hope thai Socialism would prove fruitful of all good, but' at the last ! we come to this" passage, that spirit of which is at times evident in tlie earlier chapters : " But' Socialism is no panacea, no magic 'Opera, Sesame' to the millenium. Socialism lights up certain once, hopeless evils in human affairs and shows the path by which escape is' possible, but it leaves that path rugged and difhcult. Socialism is hope, but it- is nob assurance." And yet if • all men had but the generous spirit of Mr Wells we might fee happy.—(London : Constable and Co. ? Timaru: IV W. Hut-ton and Co:) •

! "'The Human Boy. Again," by Eden Phillpotts.—it is nine years suite Mr Eden I'hillpotts. de.iglit«d "us witli his wonderfully true stories of school life in •. The Human Boy.' .Many who read that book as boys are . now men, but. they will, we venture to think, warmly welcome the dozen new stories now presented in "The Human Boy Again." Indeed, old boys and young boys alike will iiud themselves fairly treated as regards entertainment, noi' will their mothers or sisters complain. The happenings take place at Merivale,. a school not very far irom Exter, where Mr. ' Dunstan holds sway, Ussisted by Browne, Briggs, and o'her masters. The stories concern a comparatively small'number of Mr Dunstans pupils and are told by the boys themselves, in their out-of-school lingo, without any apparent restraint and. with that exquisite humour which crops up only in schoolboys' talk. tiucli adjectives as ■footling,' 'beastly,' 'rotten,' «tn«l-"dotty/, such nouns'as 'bate,' 'quid,' and 'dab,' such principles as ' funkeu.' and ' swauing' help us to supply the local colour, Out # :do not occur too' often. , jFor sheer cleverity ' Peters, Detective' is,, if. we inay also' drop into slang, the .pick ol the basket, but "ihe Doctor's farrot/ 'The Bankruptcy of Bannister,' 'iuchino'nd Minimus, Preacher,' ■ 'The .- Good Conduct Prize,.' and "Xomkins on "Tin-, bed Cow,'" . are equally • racy" and good. jNlr Phillpotts is an. adept at repioducing the schoolboy's conscience, W'liich has> a more real existence '! than ■ that thing - sometimes spoken-.of as the Nonconformist conScience.; ; he: shows its strange working under pressure of emotion, either of fear or of love (the latter-inspired by Milly Dunstan), and lie has a" vivid-recollection of the . awesome > characteristics : of ; ..* the jypical headmaster. There is a Jew and there, is also a Chinaman ('Tinned. Cow') among the pupils, and these afford, a pleasing yariety from, the ordinary, boy. There is a splendid'- description of a. light, and there are adventuures in quarries • and in 'orchards, encounters with Mr Dunstan. and many other ; amusing episodes. - It is a ■ laughter-compelling book and also .true, to life/—(London : Methuen and Co.; Tim.-irii : P. W. Hutton and Co.) The fourth large impression of "The Man-Eaters of Tsayo,".' by Colonel Pat-, terson^! the - most successful-, sporting " book

of the winter season, is almost sold out; and of the other books published towards the end of last year it may be noted that second impressions are .'now on sale of " Leaves from the Note-Books of Lady Dorothy ■ Nevill," and of " The Diary of William Allingham," ;> work of unique interest in its intimate association with many of the most famous writers and artists of the Victorian era..

Mr- Churchill lias completed hiis new novel, "Mr Crewe's Career."—(London : Macmillan and Co.; Timaru: P. W, Hutton and Co.) Mr Churchill luis recently allowed himself to be interviewed and has disclosed some interesting . facts regarding his literary career and' his methods of work. His books have appeared at intervals of a t least two or three years, and he has consequently gained a reputation for exceptionally careful workmanship. But even these intervals do not correctly measure the time he may have spent on' any one book, for. he confesses that his new novel was actually in his mind some time before " Coniston" appeared; and consequently before his campaign for the Governorship of New Hampshire. It will bo particularly .interesting* nevertheless, to see whether "Mr. Crewe's Career" embodies any of the author's experiences in that campaign, as a result • of ■ which he has become a powerful factor in the politics of his State. What axe the distinctive- qualities which have made Mr. Churchill one of the most popular contemporary writers of fiction, nob only in America, but ; with theVßritish public? Instances readily occur to the mind of American . writers who • have achieved great success in their own country, with no corresponding .'..result.-, on this side, and it is interesting to inquire why Mr Churchill is. a notable exception. In reviewing "Conniston" a writer in' the " Pall Mall Gazette" suggests an" answer. He says: "Mr Churchill has more.of the epic quality perhaps than any writer now living. His vision is broad,. serene, and permeating: its spell. is not to inflame, the emotions, but ' to leave us out of thought, as doth eternity.' Tribute has been paid ] ere now to Mr ChurchUl's ;greatness -as an historical painter—tribute that, fromY eveiy reader of "Conniston," will, have to be repeated and increased. The great subjects can' be handled without ceasing to appear great—that is'one of the highest tests 'of imagination; Mr Churchill enables us to contemplate the. landscape of political corruption, and all" its. loathsome swamps and "nlyslerious thickets, in all its suggestiveness of paradox, irony, and repulsion, without making,. Us feel, for a moment that the , outlook is restricted or qualified by an individual's'. feelings or prepossessions. There are no shudderings, no apostrophes, no„ ethics. The shortcomings of a . nation have too much dignity and too much pathos for these -tricks of the literary trade. The strength and the humility of a real artist prompt him to keep himself and" his armchair judgments out of the picture, and we cannot sufficiently praise the ripeness' of temperament; which lias eiiabled Mr Churchill to respond to their h-ppeal."