FEUILLETON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7, 14 August 1912, Page 44

FEUILLETON.

An Interesting Selection of Poems. THOSE, of our renders who remember that curious dual personality, who, under the real name of William Sharp and the assumed one of Fiona Maeleod, dazzled, impressed, charmed, fascinated, or mystified them 'by the weirdness or the versatility of his talent, will be glad that the collected edition of Fiona Macleod's works is to be followed by a series, of selections from the writings of William Hharp. The first of this series was published by Mr William Heinemann a few weeks ago, and is a volume of poetry, most of which was written before William Sharp had commenced his curious double "career. The whole of the material for thif series is, we understand, io be selected ami arranged by Mrs Sharp, who, as many readers know, is the possessor herself of no mean 'literary ability. Was Sharp's Dual Personality Real or Assumed ? I‘pmparatively few people, we think, believed. in Sharp's double personality, preferring to account for the great dif•fercm e in style and outlook and feeling of the brilliant journalist and. the mystic, Fiona by extolling Sharp’s marvellous versatility, and accepting Fiona Maeleod as one of the many poses assumed by the brilliant journalist, who had thrilled, mystified and inspired them in turn. A writer in the “Bookman,” commenting on these “poems,” gays: “Apart from their intrinsic merit, these verses are interesting in showing how deliberate an assumption was Sharp's second and feminine self, lie appears to have 'had the power of 'taking up personalities at will, and Mrs Sharp refers in her introduction to The Pagan Review’—the first and only number of a projected monthly review edited by W. JI. Brooks —of which William Sharp wrote every word from cover to cover, under the pseudonyms of the editor and the seven contributors. Such a feat shows extreme versatility, but it also Becms to argue some lack of individuality in the man who was capable of it. This argument is supported by the, poems.” Sharp as One of the Most Accomplished of the Pre-Raphaelite Poets. Commenting on this “Selection,” Mr Francis IBickley says: “Sharp wrote in the Pre Kaphaelite tradition, which bad developed the externalities of poetry st the expense of its spirit. ißossetti and Morris, however, had vivid personalities which informed their work and shone through their incrustations of jewelled archaism. Swinburne, though far less individual, had a wealth of verbal music at command, which stifled criticism on any but irrevelant grounds. In lesser men, however, the radical defects of the school became apparent. Kliarp was probably one of the most accomplished of the disciples of the PreKaphaelites. This volume is full of admirable verse, delicate melodies, ami chosen dietion.” And, continues Mr Hickley, "if poetry is to be descriptive and pictorial, this is very good poetry indeed.” “But,” this writer concludes, “both instinct and experience tell us that poetry should 'be something else: that to write verse for the sake of writing verse, as Sharp did, is not enough. Poetry must be felt. It must be personal and passionate. It must be real. Awakening to this fact killed PreRaphael ism, just as in France it killed the tradition of the Parna.sse. Poets began to search for reality, either within themselves like Mr Yeats, or without, like Henley ami Davidson; or both, like Mr Arthur .Symons. < hmeecfueiitly in the hist decade w e had a mass of poetry, which, when time has sorted it ouA, will prolsibly show more bravely in comparison with the Victorian Giants than grudging contemporaries have admitted. There was much that was ephemeral in that poetry of yesterday, much written epater le bourgois, but it had a fine relish for life.” Though we Agree with M l ' Birkley in his definition of what Constitutes poetry as apart from mere Verse, we cannot think Fiona Maeleod

-a “pose” of the late William Sharp. More than one ease is on record of dual personality. Most 'highly-strung people are aware of a conflicting personality at war inside them. Rarely, indeed, though, are dual personalities so distinct as those of 'the late William Sharp. Between the brilliant journalist William Sharp, and the mystic Fiona Maeleod, is a chasm that no versatility can bridge. The July “ Windsor. ' “The Art of John F. Herring,” t'he English animal painter, is the subject chosen this month by Mr. Austin Chester for dilation and illustration. Most of the illustrations here reproduced are well-known examples of that artist’s, finest work. The thirtieth of the articles that tells England’s story in portrait and picture, deals with the reign of William and Mary. The portrait drawn of tho Dutch William is pre-eminently an unpleasing one, insufficient allowance being made for the fact that religious reformers rarely possess the qualities that make good rulers, and especially over a people whose wants were so many, whose interests were so wide and varied, and whose

allegiance was so divided: as was that of the people of the England of William’s reign. Absolutely delightful is Mr. <!. D. Roberts’ story of “Red Dandy and MacTavish,” which is a new reading of “Androcles and the Lion.” We think Mr. Roberts’ presentation of natural history inimitable, and interesting above ail other presentations. “The Romance of New Zealand,” ' y Lady Broom, should be of great ini ; re.-t to the readers of this Dominion, a id also of great value as an advertiser,, it for this country. All that could be -opposed to interest the intending New Zealand: settler is touched upon in this paper, which concludes: “Women count for quite as much as men in colonization. It is of no use for ever so earnest a settler to take out a wife who is unable or unwilling to rough it at first with him, but, given such an helpmate, then indeed nowhere ean be found more favourable or familiar conditions than in New Zealand.” The late Lady Broom occupied a place of her own as an historian of impressions and reminiscences of the rapidly changing conditions of life in more than one of our overseas Dominions. As Lady Barker, wife of General Sir George Barker, she had an interesting insight into Anglo-Indian life of the period immediately following tho Mutiny, but it was not until after her second marriage that she published her first book, entitled "Station Life In New Zealand. An aihled interest will be found in the fact that this article is from a manuscript which remained unpublished at the time of Its author's

death. Some admirable poetry, and bright fiction, together with the standing features, makes the "Windsor,” as usual, one of the highest value for sixpence. To Paragraphic Journalist (on the Constant Use of the Heading “ A Stage Romance"). Oh, journalist with facile pen, Oh, most omniscient of men, Oh, fluent paragraphic dasher, How often have you cheered me when I've toyed with omelettes at ten, Or flirted with my morning rasher! With what constructive skill have you, With fat diurnal sales in view, Put artfully each day before us Diab commonplaces dressed anew, And fictions which you swore were true, Determined that you would not bore us! Yet must I fain admit your pars, Though broken up by pretty stars, Not always pleasurably thrill me: Your verbioidal habit jars, Evoking mild anathemas, Y'our adjectival orgies chill me. However, you shall 'have your way, To gather cliches while ye may; But, in the trite hymeneal story, Refrain, and leave romance, I pray — That much maltreated word to-day, Some measure of its pristine glory. —“Windsor Magazine.”

Set Down by Marcus Aurelius. How ridiculous and what a stranger he is who is surprised at anything which happens in life. First do nothing inconsiderately, nor without a purpose. Second, make thy acts refer to nothing else than. a social end. Whatever may happen to thee, it was prepared for t-hee from all eternity; am I the implication of causes was from eternity spinning the thread of thy being and of that which is incident to it. Men exist for the sake of one another. Teach them then or bear with them. Intereating to Grammarians. The difference of opinion Which prevails among writers here as to whether it is the more correct to write Thomas’s bag or Thomas’ bag is not, it appears, confined to this Dominion, as the appended paragraph, which we have taken from the “Literary Letter” in the “Sphere,” will show. We fear our grammar will not always bear inspection, but when we use Thomas immediately before introducing it to any of his goods or chattels we always write it Thomae’s because it looks best that way. The “Sphere’s” writer says:—Several people have written to me on a matter of grammar, and <i writer in “T.P's Weekly,” that nice little journal which ia supposed to instruct tho masses In literature, is particularly spiteful because I insist that it is more correct to write "Mr. Lank eat er ia a friend of Mr.

Kendal's” than to write “Mr. LankeateOl is a friend of Mr. Kendal,” just the same* as it is more correct to write “Jones’S book” and not "Jones’ book.” My monitor says he docs not like the Shorter Catechism nor the Shorter Grammar*, Well, the latter is all right; the thing ■is perfectly simple. We say “a friend! of mine,” or “a friend of his, hers, or theirs,’ instead of “a friend of me, him, her, or them.” It is clear that tho same thing should hold good of nouns aS well as pronouns. As pronouns undoubtedly take a double possessive, logically nouns should do the same. The Effects of the "Home” Shipping Strike on Literature. There is likely to be a shortage of literature, both in book and magazine form, for the next few months, since all literature that cannot be posted cannotj reach this country, owing to the difficulty, experienced in obtaining transit. Norj will the fact that the shipping strike Is at an end alter this state of things for! some time. For, owing to the industrial unrest in England, and owing also to the increased demand's of writers, the autumn! output, at least of fiction, is likely to b 0 much less than that of former years. But if this sparsity of new stuff does but throw readers back on the best old standard authors, for it is certain that very little contemporary fiction will bear a second reading, this expected dearth of fiction will not have proved unprodluct'ives of good results. A New Mathers Novel. Though it is more years than we carei to remember since Helen Mathers melted us- by her “Coinin’ Thro’ tho Rye,” "Cherry Ripe,” and others of her charming stories, she is still writing novels that are worth reading, we are sure, by, the sentimental. Her latest effort 19 entitled “Alan is Fire and Woman 13 Tow.” That this point of view ia wholly feminine, and quite out of datewill not in the least alter the fact than anything Miss Mathers writes is sure td be eminently readable. We feel confident of this, though it is years since wei read anything of hers. The book is published by Jarrold and Sons, and is fill short-story form. A New E. V. Lucas Work. Mr. G. V. Lucas, whose work always gives us the most undiluted pleasure t 0 read, is about to issue through Methuen*, whose firm he went into partnership with some year or two ago, a work entitled “London Lavender.” Of its subject we know nothing, and, as Mr. Lucas* titles are oftener enigmatic than indicative, we dare not venture an opinion. But; of the rare literary treat iu store wai are positive, rather than prophetic.