THE “DECAMERON”

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20786, 22 April 1939, Page 9

THE “DECAMERON”

INDECENCY ALLEGATION LIBRARIAN BRINGS APPEAL (Special to Times p AUCKLAND, Friday An appeal against the decisions of Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., that he was guilty of having in his possession for hire an indecent book, Boccaccio’s 4 Decameron,” was brought by Howard K. Sumpter, a principal of the London Book Club, before Mr Justice Blair, in the Supreme Court yesterday. Mr V. R. Meredith, who opposed the appeal on behalf of the SolicitorGeneral. said the question whether Boccaccio's “Decameron” was an indecent publication was really a matter of fact. Doubtless it would be submitted that it was a classic work of acknowledged literary merit, but he argued that the book should not be looked upon ns .a whole but judged by particular passages. “Not Obscene As ?. Whole” 1 Mr L. K. Munro, for the appellant, said the mere fact that there were obscene passages in the book did not mean that the book as a whole was obscene. The book was written in the fourteenth century, when the morals of the church were at a low ebb, and Boccaccio had some of the notions of a moral reformer. The impression given by reading extracts would be altered by reading the book as a whole. Howard K. >umj»‘ r. one of the two nrinc.pals of the London Book Club, sa>d they had througl jut N w Zealand about 65,000 members in the club, of whom 6000 were associate! with the Wellesley Stn et branch. The “Decameron” was never specially asked for before tn : s prosecution, blit since then they had b»*en beseiged with requests for it. They had withdrawn it from all branches pending the result of the prosecution. His Honour reserved decision.