FROM Bookstall and Study.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18993, 12 February 1930, Page 5

FROM Bookstall and Study.

Mr St John Ervine, the well-known dramatic critic, is at work on a life of General William Booth. A prize of £2OOO has been offered in New York for the best manuscript of between 15,000 and 100,000 words in length on the subject of American Jewry. Among recent prices obtained in the sale room are £5 for first editions of books by Mr H. G. Wells, originally sold at 2s. £245 for the manuscript of Sir A. Conan Doyle's “Sherlock Holmes” story “ The Speckled Band,” and £360 for a first edition of Swift's “ Gulliver’s Travels.” It is said that nobody can boast of having a complete collection of John Masefield’s works, because before fame came to Masefield, he wrote all sorts of pot-boilers, including boj*s’ books and adventure yarns, under pseudonyms, and he himself forgets some of them. Although the first edition of John Galsworthy’s “ Forsythe Saga,” published in 1922 at 7s 6d a copy, numbered 10,000, a copy is worth £8 to-day, if it is in fine condition. During a recent tour of the United States, Mr Edgar Wallace was interviewed 87 times and photographed 23 times in 26 days. He wrote more than 3000 autographs. He is at work on a musical play which is to be produced in London early this year. Sheila Kaye-Smith, who with her husband, the Rev. Penrose Fry, recently joined the Roman Catholic communion, has written a new novel called “ Shepherds in Sackcloth.” It is a psychological study of a village parson, an Anglican and not a Roman Catholic. Mr Robert Graves writes thus to “Everyman”:—Your reviewer of my book “ Good-bye to All That,” refers to a mythical Mrs Graves, my wife. Such a person does not exist. I made it very plain in the book that Nancy Nicholson, whom I married, never took my name, as she was legally entitled not to do, and it is therefore false courtesy on your reviewer’s behalf to award it to her. It is more than that; it is insolent.

A cheque signed by Dickens and a postbag which he owned have been given to the museum at Rochester, where is situated the famous Bull Inn. It was at this inn that the Pickwick party stayed and attended the ball where the incident occurred which resulted in the challenge to a duel between Dr Slammer and Mr Winkle. Dickens was very fond of visiting Rochester and spent many happy hours there with his friends and biographer, Forster. Great wars are strongly intermittent in their effects, writes Mrs Virginia Woolf in the “ New* York Herald-Tri-bune.” The French Revolution took some people and tore them asunder; others it passed over without disturbing a hair on their heads. Jane Austen, it is said, never mentioned it; Charles Lamb ignored it; Beau Brummell never gave the matter a thought. But to Wordsworth and to Godwin it was the dawn; without doubt they saw—

France standing- on top of golden hours, And human nature seeming born again. Thus it would be easy for a picturesque historian to lay side by side the most glaring contrasts. Public attention having been directed to the fact that the inscription on the marble slab placed on the Casa Magna at Lerici (Italy), the last home in which Shelley lived, had become almost illegible, members of the Shelley Society took steps to renew the inscription. Offers of money came from several parts of Great Britain, but the citizens of Lerici refused the offers and undertook the restoration at their own expense. This action by Italian admirers of Shelley has been appreciated by British residents of Rome and also by the British public. Mr Wickham Steed writes in the “ Review of Reviews” this story of an enterprising journalist:—Kennedy Jones retired from “ the newspaper industry ” with a considerable fortune, part of which he invested in the furnishing business of Waring and Gillow, and proposed to make the rival house of Maple “ s it up.” As a beginning he invited the "literary gents” of his acquaintance to a luncheon, and offered a prize of £SO to the man who could write upon the back of a menu card the best commercial motto for Waring and Gillow E. V. Lucas, who had gone to the luncheon as a joke, won the prize with a motto which everybody admitted to be the best and the wittiest, but which Kennedy Jones was wholly unable to use. It ran. “ See Maple’s and die.” Mrs Aceituna Griffin, whose new novel, “ Genesta,” will be published shortly by Mr Murray, is no novice in her profession. She has two short plays to her credit, a number of short stories and six novels. This new book shows the effect on Genesta and Richard Cope of a complete change of fortune and position, and reveals the dire results of an exaggerated love of possessions, allied to a snobbish turn of mind. A new presentation of the twins theme would appear to be almost an impossibility, so long has this subject been the stock-in-trade of the storyteller. Yet in “The Twins Murder Case,” which Mr Murray will publish shortly, Mr Horace G. Hutchinson has worked out the theme to a most original denouement. The stress of conflicting characters and different reactions to motive and temptation intro- 1 duce a warm human interest “Adjectives—And Other Words,” which Mr Murray will publish shortly, is not Professor Ernest Weekley’s promised third volume of “ Words Ancient and Modern,” but a miscellaneous collection of essays in word-lore. It deals chiefly with the history of words during their life in the language, and with the curious accidents that have lie fallen them. “ Beau Ideal/ the last of P. C Wren's three Beaus, was added to Murray’s Two-shilling Library on January 15. First “ Beau Geste,” then “ Beau Sabreur,” and now this third fine Foreign Legion story, in which the adventures are amazing and unflagging and the final reunion a triumph of surprise.

In a series of “Studies in Eighteenth Century Diplomacy, 1740-1748,” based upon prolonged research in the State papers and other sources, which Mr Murray will publish shortly, Sir Richard Lodge has endeavoured to trace the most important threads of diplomacy which influenced the War of the Austrian Succession and led to its unsatisfactory close. The narrative throws light upon the discords in the British Cabinet, upon the difficulties caused by entrusting the conduct of foreign affairs to two Secretaries of State, and upon the character and aims of prominent English politicians.

Out of the abundance of her own deep experience of life Mrs Kathleen Norris has written yet another story of a girl who won through to happiness with only courage and an unclouded faith to help her. In “ Passion Flower,” which Mr Murray will publish shortly, she tells the story of Cassy Pringle, who held that poverty and the hardship it entails only serve to strengthen the ties of husband and wife if love be the real foundation. This is a moving story of human frailty on the one hand and of pluck, determination and loyalty on the other. TIME THE MARTINET. Time was our banker once, and on our credit Like an indulgent father let us draw. Now he’s turned sour, and our account 4oes edit And pounces on us with a usurer’s claw. We squandered once where now we count th’ “ expense ” : He scores our ledger with accusing mark; Our minted gold is turned to shabby pence, And ever clock is Time’s detective clerk. What shall we do then? Shall we meekly bear This scrutiny, since Time’s turned martinet? Or ruthlessly our bankruptcy declare And shamelessly dishonour every debt? Were we indeed provoked to such a course, Say, where would conscience be, and where remorse? —V. Sackville-West in “ American Bookman.” In comparing the lives of these two men, we must remember that Napoleon was educated at a famous military college and started as an officer, while Bernadotte began as a friendless recruit, spent eleven years in the ranks and was educated by experience and self-culture. Yet Bernadotte showed considerably more culture than Napoleon, and though one cannot but admire the latter’s wonderful ability, he failed, while Bernadotte, with saner policies, succeeded in bringing happiness, prosperity and union to the country of his adoption.

“ Napoleon was the more magnificent gambler. He played for unlimited stakes, and never to compromise with fate. Bernadotte, when left to himself, played for safety. It was only when he was faced by a desperate or unavoidable emergency . . that he displayed unsurpassable resourcefulness and strength. . . . Napoleon overshadowed him by his indifference to mere glory or praise. . . But in their respective methods of exercising power, Bernadotte outshone Napoleon, who often showed himself arbitrary, harsh and unrestrained, while Bernadotte was' always moderate, beneficient and compassionate.” As Crown Prince of Sweden, Bernadotte proved most popular, and his kindness, thoughtfulness and charming manner were a constant delight to the old King. As King Charles XIV. of Sweden, Bernadotte proved himself an able and popular ruler, his foreign policy being especially sound and his internal administration including many most progressive, and in those 4 a >' s ’ novel ideas. With such a character it is no wonder that Sir Dunbar Barton has already lound sufficient material to provide three prior volumes of his exploits and adventures. The three volumes, “ Bernadotte—the First Phase,” “ Bernadotte and Napoleon,” and “ Bernadotte—Prince and King,” are consolidated in the present volume which provides an excellent historical study, a vivid portrait, and most absorbingly interesting reading matter. SUMMER ETCHING. As far as the sun’s hot eye can see, The honeyed wind falls quietly. The shed of an abandoned farm Is powdering in brittle calm. A one-horse carriage finds decay More violent with every day. The trees in over-green despair Groan with a weight they cannot bear. The bucket of the well is white And crystalline with thirst and light, While on the farmhouse porch a deer Conquers a hundred-year-old fear. —Charles A. Wagner. The friendliness of Sir lan Hamilton towards newspaper correspondents gen erally is alluded to in Mr Compton Mackenzie's “Gallipoli Memories.” Mr Mackenzie approvingly quotes an extract from Sir lan Hamilton’s “Gallipoli Diary”:— From my individual point of view a mistake has been made on the correspondence side of the whole of this Dardanelles business. Had we a dozen good newspaper correspondents here, the vital life-giving interest of these stupendous proceedings would have been brought right into the hearths and homes of the humblest people in Britain.

. As for information to the enemy, this is too puerile altogether. The things these fellows produce are all read and checked by competent general staff officers. To think that it matters to the Turks whether a certain trench was taken by the 7th Royal Scots or the 3rd Warwicks is just really like children playing at secrets. The censors, who are by way of keeping everyone in England in darkness, allow extremely accurate panoramas of the Australian position from the back trenches, communication tracks, etc., all to scale, a true military sketch, to appear in the “Illustrated London News” of June 5

Literature should be taken seriously, but not too seriously. “Robinson Crusoe” may have sent some bo} r s to sea. Franklin’s “Poor Richard” may have made some boys thrifty, but this is not ,the usual process of manufacture. Many a gallant soldier has a vile taste in letters General Wolfe’s are rare The Duke of Wellington seems to have read next to nothing. Gordon was fond of Bpgatsky’s “Golden Treasury.” Some of our greatest judges have been very partial to the trashiest kind of novel The vulgar and odious language of the street often defiles and defames, but cannot destroy, kind thoughts and generous actions. ’ Bookishness is an intellectual monkery. It is the criticism of the cloister. In the begin ning it has a charm, this devotedness to books and what people have said, but after a time it becomes wearisome and an offence, and you long to meet some child of Nature who has never read anything and cannot torture you with endless quotations, or thrust borrowed opinions down your throat. Still the great thing is to keep pegging away with cheap masterpieces. The good books will beat the bad ones. The boy does not breathe who will not prefer “The Three Musketeers” to “Spring-Heeled Jack,” although he may prefer “Spring-Heeled Jack” to Dean Burgon’s “Twelve Good Men.”—Augustine Birrell.

55 *.• j 5 “ The Gothic Beauties and History of the Canterbury Provincial Buildings,” by C. R. H. Taylor. Published by Simpson and Williams, Ltd., Christchurch.

It is most regrettable that so many inhabitants of Christchurch fail to appreciate the fact that in the Provincial Council Buildings we have a Gothic structure of rare beauty and interest. Many others again have visited the Council Chamber, and, though impressed with .many of the beautiful points of the building, have been unable to appreciate the architectural magnificence and the many details of design which are to be found by those who know just what to look for and where to find it. Mr Taylor’s booklet will therefore serve two major very useful purposes: firstly, to advertise more fully the fact that the city contains a building of such interest, and secondly, to provide those who are cognisant of this with a handbook which will give the visitor an opportunity of appreciating the architectural construction and at least the major portion of the great wealth of delightful and intricate design to be found in the interior. Separate chapters provide the reader with an outline of architecture in the Gothic style, details to be found in the buildings, the symbolism of the encaustic mosaic work, the painted ceiling, etc., and finally an historical outline of the province and the Provincial Buildings’ part therein. The reader of this booklet will find that a visit to the Provincial Council Buildings is very much worth while, and armed with the knowledge provided by the author, he will find a most surprising number of interesting items claiming attention. “ The Aamazing Career of Bernadotte ” by the Right Hon. Sir Dunbar Plunlcet Barton. Published by John Murray, London. Although Jean Baptiste Bernadotte as a contemporary of Napoleon was overshadowed in his military career by the genius of the little Corsican, his story is surely one of the most romantic and interesting to be found in the pages of history. Son of an attorney of Pau, he ran away from home and enlisted in the army of Louis XVI as a private, becoming after eight years’ service a ser-geant-major, the highest rank which any man other than one of noble birth could attain in the days of the monarchy. Like many others of that wonderful band of soldiers which helped to place Napoleon on his pedestal, his opportunity came with the Revolution, and in ten years from the time he obtained his 1 commission he was Marshal of France and Prince of Ponte Carvo. He was later elected by the Swedes as their Crown Prince, and on the death of his adopted father, Charles XIII of Sweden, succeeded to the throne, establishing a dj'nastv which endures to-dav. His military career was a most brilliant one, and .as an infantry leader he Occupied the same position as did Murat with cavalry. A born leader, carrying the absolute confidence of his men. he was ever ready to lead where the danger was greatest and the bullets thickest. While commanding the army of Sambre and Meuse in 1795-6, he penetrated to the heart of Germany, two hundred and fifty miles from his headquarters on the Rhine and about the same distance from Vienna. At Teining, with a small vanguard of 9000 men, he was attacked by the Archduke Charles with 28,000 Austrians. After a heavy day’s fighting, he found his re-

treat cut off, but by A brilliant manoeuvre he smashed clear and commenced a wonderful rearguard action. “ How steady was his retirement and how obstinate was his resistance is proved by comparing time with distance. He gave way slowly for a distance of forty miles, keeping the pursusing Austrians at bay for seven days, and disputing every inch of the ground with an enemy numbering three to one. The historian of the arnu r described these operations as a * glorious combat and a slow retreat.’ ” As an example of leadership his crossing of the Tagliamento in the Italian campaign is deserving of mention. The Austrians were in a strong position and in order to attack them the French had to cross a bridgeless but fordable “ The river was wide and cold. The first regiment hesitated to enter the water. Bernadotte shouted to them that the stream was fordable. A voice from the ranks replied ‘ We are not on horseback.’ The Gascon, without hesitation, leaped from his horse into the middle of the torrent, and cried * Advance, forward ! ’ The troops followed with loud cries of ‘ Long Jive our general 1 ’ An eye-witness describes Bernadotte * crossing the numerous branches of the river under a very heavy fire.’ Before the enemy could collect themselves for an effective resistance, the French were drawn up on the left bank, and the Austrians had to retire. The passage of the Taglimento had been accomplished by the vanguard; and Captain Francais tells us that Napoleon congratulated us and the Gascon general of our division on our valour.”

When’one reads the many daring deeds of his career, one wonders that Bernadotte came through any of his campaigns alive. None but a man of great personality and extraordinary attainments could have made such a mark as Bernadotte. In his early days in the ranks, we see him commence a fixed study of systematic self-education, and one of the greatest factors in his ultimate choice for the Crown of Sweden was undoubtedly his very humane treatment of Swedish prisoners at Lubeck, which treatment merely followed the policy which he had always maintained and which is attributed to his early study of the lives of the two great French soldiers, Marshals Fabert and Catinat. Undoubtedly, he was fiery and he was given to Gasconading, but was he not described by Napoleon as “un vrai Gascon”? He was always outspoken, and there is no doubt that Napoleon feared his honesty of purpose, although he thoroughly appreciated his greatness, for, besides agreeing to his acceptance of the Swedish Crown, he considered Bernadotte as the ruler of Spain and actually mentioned him as successor to himself On several occasions, Napoleon treated Bernadotte badly, perhaps the worst example being after the battle of Jena, when Bernadotte was made the scape goat for a tactical error of the Emper or’s. Napoleon, too, was very bitter when Bernadotte, as Crown Prince of Sweden, joined the Allies and, making the most of his tactical knowledge wai instrumental in procuring Napoleon's defeat at Leipsic. Later, however Napoleon had to admit that Bernadotte had been forced into war with France and he said: “ I cannot say that he betrayed me. He, irk a manner became a

Swede; and never promised what he did not intend to perform.”