THE REVIEWER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16330, 20 January 1921, Page 6

THE REVIEWER.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. j MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS, j Amongst the magazines which arc | forwarded by Gordon and Gotch (Aus- | tralaAia), Ltd., is the November numI her of the “ London.” Included j among tho special articles is one cleal- ; mg with “ Sinn Fein Secrets,” by Shaw Desmond. The illustrations for this article were obtained "by permission of tho Sinn Feiners. who wished it to be published for propoganda purposes- Another special article by T. C. Bridges describes the Tarpon, tho fiercest fighting fish of American waters, and hove it is caught with rod and line. Tho fiction is well up to the “London” standard of merit, and the illustrations are deserving of mention. Tho “ Strand ” contains splendid ] stories by Richard Fletcher, ;; Sapper,” ! Garret Smith, and William Cane. Anj other humorous “Archie” story, enj titled “ A Room at the Hermitage,” : by P. G. Wodehouse, will please that j author's admirers, and for those inI forested in spiritualism will he found I an article by Sir Conan Doyle, “ The i Uncharted Coast,” being a story of tlie | Fox family, in whose home spiritualism j originated, in 184 S. illustrated by photo- ; graphs. i Nash’s October number carries two j fine serials, “ Tlie Master of Man,” by | Sir Hall Caine, and “ The MounteI bank,’’ by W. J. Locke, both stories j being handsomely illustrated. Other ! good stories arc “ The Pleasant .Per- | son, ’ by Frank R. Adams (a fairy I story): “Desire,” by Gouverneur IVTorI ris: “A Crooked Stic]c,” by F. H. Lea, , and “Air Montague Rebuffed,” by E. Phillips Oppenheim.

“Pan,” a journal for saints and cynics, is a splendid production. and lovers of a high-class magazine should not miss perusing it. The best aTtists or tlie illustration world have been gathered together to help to- enhance tlie beauty oi its pages, among some of t-lio most notable being Dudley Hardy, B-L, Charles Robinson, I/eonard Walker, R.T., TV. H Harris and .L. H. Warren. The issue also contains a collection of excellent stories.

“Eve” is essentially a magazine for women, for whom it caters in every respect. It is handsomely illustrated with black and while- illustrations, and several drawings are illustrated in colour.

“The Passing Show,” a weekly paper of wit, humour, and caricature, still maintains its affection in the heart of the great public. All boys love the “ Penny Pictorial.” In the August number, ail illustrated article, “ Desperate Bids for Fame,” being the first of a series, describes the lure of Niagara, aud of the many attempts of men and tv cm: on to cross that seething cauldron of water in barrels and other curious craft, with not always happy results. There are also some good «*c?t stories, and a further instalment of “The Woman Pays.”

“Laughing Water,” by Ethel Turner; | “ Bruce at- Boonderong Camp,” by Lillian M. .Pyke: “ Dick Lester at i Kurrajong,” by Mary Grant Bruce (London: Ward/ Lock and Co., Ltd.) i In an older day the youngsters had I to be content to follow the adventurous doings of young heroes who were no | kin of theirs; neither Jack Harkaway j nor Broad-Arrow Jack was Australian I born. To-day there is no ground for complaint as to the absence of fiction with local interest; many able writers are busily engaged in supplying the demand. Ethel Turner’s story introduces tho girl walking to tlie railway j station with her young guest to see him '

j off and teasing him cn route in the world-old style. She knows that six-teen-year-old Humphrey lias only a few minutes in which to catch his train, and that train is his last chance to rejoin his ship, but being a daughter of Eve she requires him to rescue her eighteen-and-sixpenny veil from the tree where the wind has blown it, and Katoomba sees an almost penniless naval j cadet miss his train. Then Nea takes charge efficiently. That is the start j of a romance. I Before he arrives at Boonderong Camp Bruce, the doctor’s son, and his mate, Rupert, make an airship, in the making of which they use up tho best kimono of Bruce’s sister Gladys. When their mother, knowing of Gladys’s partiality for the company of another doctor’s son, warns her that it is not all she thinks to be a doctor’s wife, Gladys states her opinion that it is not much to be a doctor’s daughter when your brother’s mischievous actions are considered merely harmless boyishness. The cook also considers Bruce ‘ ‘ one too much,” and gives notice. The only hope for Bruce appears to bo chat he very rarely finishes anything he starts. Dick Lester, in Mrs Bruce’s story, is more promising; at the age of thirteen, on tlie voyage to Fremantle, he dives overboard to rescue a child, and both are picked up exhausted. Dick does not get on very well apparently with the little girl in whom he is interested, though she is the sister of the boy he went overboard to save, but, nvhfen.

they go up country and get among tno blacks he is able to show that his ability is pot confined to swimming. Like a knight of the olden time. he rides through a hostile array with the girl on the saddlebow; at the cost of a spear in Dick’s shoulder, the heroine is saved and Dick wins more plaudits and is in a fair way towards winning Meric. Three pleasantly written stories. “ Strand Magazine,” November.— Gerald du Mauriels is the subject of a “ chat” reported by Gladys B- Crozills; the actor is apparently as interesting in his way as was his father, the creator of “Trilby.”, “Chase Wax© ” talks of legal oddities you discover that there is a law under which persons of different ©lasses “ profanely cursing or swearing, must on conviction forfeit ” a sum of money (varying according to their social standing; from Is to os) to the poor and “ Meade’s case proves, or my report'®

in fault, That singing can’t he reckoned an assault.” Ernest Newman discusses “ Our Conductors,” appreciating Sir Henry Wood, Sir Thomas Beecham, Messrs Landon Ronald, Albert Coates and Hamilton Harty; he finds that though England gave until recently little opportunity tor training musical conductors, there are four or five first-rate men, and a fair number of others who promise well. The fifth of Sir Conan Doyle’s “The Uncharted Coast ” articles is entitled “Tlie Absolute Proof,” and gives thestory of Mme. Bisson, of Dr SchrenckNotzing, of Dr Geley, of Professor Crookes and of Dr Cranford dealing with “ectoplasm,” and its extraordinary manifestations. Dr Crawford asserts that the mysterious operators who produce the manifestations are “dis*. carnate human beings,” and Sir Conan asks who can refute this.

Fiction is from the hands of Phillips Oppenheim, Arthur Crabb, Mrs Dudeney, Royal Brown, P. G. Wodehouse, E. F. Benson, G. Leslie Cramp. Mr Wodehouse’s “ Mother’s Knee ” is a distinctly amusing Account 6f one of the performances of his ever-ready Archie Moffam.

Bergson and His Philosophy,” by J. Alexander Gunn. (London: Methuen and Co.)

A very able text-book dealing with the life and writings of Henri Bergson, tlie Polish Jew with an Irish strain, who spent of his earliest years in London, from the 'agfc. of nine years

lived in France a naturalised citizen of t-lie Republic, and produced a contribution to the literature of philosophy that is the culmination of a number of tendencies in modern French philosophy. Bergson’s best known book, “ L’Evolution Creatrice,” which “gave to thought a new direction.” is considered one of the “ most profound and’ original contributions to the philosophical consideration of the theory of evolutioit.” Bergson’s work has a special interest at the present moment inasmuch as Neo-Catholicism or Modernism and Syndicalism both have attempted to absorb for their propaganda some of the central ideas of his teaching, the Roman Catholic Church has banned it and the defeat of German militarism is quoted as a proof in action of the

easily understood why the Syndicalists favour Bergson When it. is considered that his philosophy is the philosophy of | change and a rapidly increasing numj her of persons want change lor change’s sake. Bergson insists that there is j no true immobility, although lie has to j admit the for practical life i of something static or something that i is considered static. What is wanted and cannot be obtained is a movable static; you will understand what is meant—something like tlie British Constitution. Plato and Aristotle believed in tho immutable as tlie basis of philosophy. Einstein’s researches and ins special theory of gravitation assist Bergson because Einstein challenges what has been deemed immutable. .Bergson says that to perceive is not to know, out to give the conditions necessary for action : lie asserts that memory is “no mere function of the brain’ ; that the original form of consciousness was nearer to intuition than to intelligence ; he discusses the work of Darwin and Spencer. As has been said, the Syndicalists quote with approval three or four points of Bergson for their own ends; they want to change

all government, all moral codes, everything. Bergson’s insistence cn freedom and the indeterminateness of the future is translated into “Down tools if you feel like it.” Bergson has not yet treated ethical problems: he grasps the truth that if morality is to be of worth at all it must lie not in a fixed set of rules, habits or conventions, but in a spirit of living. Bergson’s relation to religion and theology is carefully explained. Bergson’s God is incessant life, action, freedom, crea-

tiveness, the enduring creative impulse of all liie manifest through the whole progress of humanity. The merits and demerits of Bergson's philosophy are summed up. _ As it is the philosophy of change it is not a system Lut a progressive philosophy to which each succeeding thinker shall contribute. Berg- ; smi, like Byron, recognises that knew - | leago is not the tree of life: man has to examine carefully ins own inner nature and the worth, and significance of

his own experiences. Bergson's style of writing merits high praise; lie is no dry” philosopher; at times lie rises to a higli pitch of feeling and oratory; he has '• purple patches, which fact is urged against him by some critics. There is a very good bibliography of Bergson’s writings and of books and writings dealing with Bergson and his work.

Mr Gunn deserves the thanks of students for his excellent and comprehensive resume and criticism.

Verena m the Midst,” by E. V Lucas. (London: Methuen and Co. Ltd.)

As the result of a fall Miss Verona, Raby is rendered hors do combat for an iudeteixninate period, and is reduced to dependence for interest in life and for amusement on the efforts, mainly epistolary, of her friends and relatives. One of the main contributors is Richard Haven, who will be remembered as a charming etter-writer in one of Air Lucas’s previous books. Besides his letters, which are models abounding in the quotation that argues very wide and understanding reading and observation, Mr Haven provides a patience apparatus suitable for use by the invalid and a charming Irish girl who reads t-o Verena. The various letters are cleverly typical of the various writers. A brother-in-law in his naive egoism, a nephew with his kaleidoscopic love affairs, and another with his requests for assistance in floating his numerous inventions—Verena, by the way, is a very rich woman—a niece who edits a school magazine, the title of which, “ The Beguiler, or the Invalid’s Friend,” sufficiently indicates its intention, are particularly amusing. Mr Lucas is easily in the front rank of the writers of to-day : if proof of his outstanding ability were needed it would be found here in the success he has made of this story told in § series of letters, a, method that is a trap for the mediocre. No kindlier or more charming humorist is discoverable as a comrade for one’s quiet moments.