NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 32, 26 August 1925, Page 34

NOTES

Taste ' - • ‘ y ,: ■v ■■ '• According; to Addison, taste is that faculty of tho soul which enables us to discern tho beauties of an author with pleasure and his imperfections with dislike.’’ That is the sub- •' stance of his definition, but as at least a score of-years have passed since we read it last we are not going to guarantee that we are word-perfect and we hereby welcome any critic who in his superior knowledge comes to trip i}s up on it. Taste like an eye for . -color or an ear for music is a thing; that seems to be born in a person : Facta nascitur non fit. : There are some people to whom the sound of the syllables in a verse means nothing, who think that rhyming syllables at the end is all that goes to make poetry, whose ears are deaf to internal discords in lines, who would read Irish poetry as liltingly as they would read a stanza of “The Isles of Greece.” If you are able to read Irish poetry properly, if you can feel how and why it ought to bo read differently from English p verse you have some taste: there is no doubt 3?; about that. If, also, you would rather read |f.a sonnet of Shakspero’s than a. ballad by Kipling there is much hope for you. Hope increases if you would rather have one old lyric lilt from Burns or Heine than all the jingling - limelight sing-me-to-sleep stuff of modern drawing rooms. For a last tost come down to plain prose. Do you read Robert Chambers and Charles Garvice and Katharine Tynan, or do you take kindly to Henry Harland and John Masefield and Joseph Con- •. rad? If you were told to select three books % from a half dozen containing a novel by each which way would your choice lie? For know with certainty that if the former attract your hand you are a Philistine and there is mlio. remotest shadow of hope for you, whereas yigif you take to your heart the latter you are one of the elect. Practically, we would say IS that if we found some of Conrad’s novels p: among a man’s shelves we would decide at once that he knew the difference between the chaff and tho wheat. Indeed we make bold enough to say that a love of Conrad is as good a working test as one could invent. I-Lord Jim, Typhoon, Fomance, The Arrow Qpf Gold, and-best of all. the Fescue, are the V pure gold of modern fiction. There is no fine ’- .writing in a description of one of Conrad’s * i . 5 seascapes but the man is an artist and his knowledge and sincerity and power all go to the making qjf a picture which is a real work, w|of art, as real as Millet’s Angelas or a Lor- " raine landscape. On a less scale the same thing is true of Masefield. He has the sin4,- cerity but not the genius and power of Conrad. Harland too is an artist and his books are well worth while. If we come down a step and apply the same thing to journal- • ism we shall find no fireworks about the best- craftsmen, such as Massingham, Belloc, Gardiner, and the late Arthur Griffith who had few equals and hardly any master in his . . profession. Turn from them to the catch- . penny papers, such as the Daily Mail, or one of ;-T.P;’s” numerous brood, and von

will find all the tricks of the trade employed to attract tho reader but none of the good, sound, honest writing of the other men. Men such as the first three we mentioned are almost free from what is called journalese that abominable jargon which has come to be regarded as good English throughout the Colonies as well as in Whitechapel and 1 Poplar. An article by Gardiner in the Daily News,* or a leader by Griffith in Nationality always told you that here was a sincere, educated, thinking, honest man who was bent on telling you what he believed; but in most of the dailies wo find that -a farrago of words fails to conceal the fact that behind it is a man who is writing things he is paid to write without 'heeding in the least whether he is telling the truth or being a common liar. Taste is even more infallible than common sense in detecting such spurious stuff. Lastly, remember that when Lord Dunsany was asked how he learned to write English, he replied that his mother made him read tho Bible and kept him away from the dailies! A Test Here is a test by which you may judge of the culture your English reading has given you. In Ronald Knox’s latest book, a game of “ghosts” is started. A lady or gentleman conies into the room, clad in a white sheet. A question is asked, and the “ghost” replies in the style of the literary personage whose revenant he professes to be for the moment. To a question concerning the behavior of France in the Ruhr the reply was: Why, sir, you must consider that there is no man but thinks himself ill-used when the Jews get him. But if a fellow should want us to abolish the debtor’s prison, we should call him a scoundrel. To the question whether ghosts were in favor of degrees for women, a second revenant replied : Woman ate first of the tree of knowledge, and so doing had small thanks of her posterity. Epimethus had been as good a man as his brother, if Pandora had not pried into his wallet, and he did feign justly, that made Psyche a woman. Wherefore, they do but degrade Learning, that , would make her the handmaid of Curiosity. When asked who was the greatest man that ever lived, the third replied: Greatness is said not univocally but equivocally and also not absolutely but relatively, as for instance this is a, great weight but not for Hercules. But what , is greatness of soul has been laid down by the philosopher. But from another direction it may be gathered that, when he described the magnanimous man, the - - ■ • •-i ! i ■ , , ... ’ ■ philosopher, was speaking, of himself. For man is the measure of all things; and all

• things are in that in which they are acs ; . cording to the measure of their capacity. |rr , 1 1 ■■ ■ , ’ . ’Hence we say the greatest man was Aristotle. - ■ . ■ ■ . Any reader of average education ought to t j be able to detect the impersonation in : the first instance almost immediately. In r tho second it is not so easy, but a little reflection will bring the possibilities down to two; and a little more will enable you to eli- tr minate one of them. So easy did .the author hold it that he did not think it necessary ;■■■■" to reveal who the characters were in these two cases. ■ •■•,'■/ The third case is too hard for universal ap- .ft) plication as a test. But for a considerably large class it ought to be plain enough who is represented. Headers who are at a loss in this latter instance need not be astonished; but the reader who fails to identify the first and second imitations of style may murmur • . sadly, .with regard to his education: “Reading hath not made me a full man.” Hero is a sentence framed by way of %% parody which might make even plainer the identity of No. 1: When asked what he would say if he heard that a Scot had been made Regius Professor, Mr. X replied: “Sir, in order to bo facetious it is not necessary to be indecent.” In our remarks wo have already given a hint as to the second solution, and he that runs ought to be able to read. If the third still remains hidden, it ought to bo enough to say that no student of theology or philosophy ought to have any doubts about the right answer. The game is rather interesting, and might provide some amusement-for the one evening' • in the week on which you are not at the, : pictures. The trouble is that not many people would be able to give off-hand answers ♦ in anything like the style of a famous author ; and still fewer would be able to identify the i person represented by the “ghost.” DIOCESE, OF DUNEDIN || Mr, D. L. Poppelwell has been elected ££ president of tho Gore Racing Club, having been a member ,of tho club for over 30 years.' I During the whole of that time, he has been a member of the committee and for 15 successive years was a vice-president, while ho p was also president for two successive terms; ' Tho congregation of the Church 0f,.;; the \ Immaculate Conception, Mosgiel, met a few 4 evenings ago to bid farewell to Mr. John H. •Walls, who is leaving on the 26th inst. by - the Arawa, en route to Paris, to complete ; his studies. Rev. Father Collins-presided,'{ ; and the rector of Holy Cross College (Very 4* Rev. Father Morkane), where Mr. Walls has been studying, was present. ■ • Several 4 members- of the congregation . spoke of Mr. Walls’s successful career as a student, . and wished him v still greater C. success in - France. They all assured him of a. hearty Vwelcome on his return to Mosgiel— native 'll town. He was presented with a Mosgiel rug J as a token of esteem and goodwill. Mr.

4 Walls made suitable acknowledgment of thegift and the kind references to himself by » the various speakers. The name of Miss Mary O’Kane, A.T.0.L., organist ,at St. Patrick’s Basilica, was ini >1 * ’ - . v it advertently. omitted from the reports of recent E. <le M. ceremonies at South Dunedin. On both occasions Miss O’Kane, who is a . member of the sodality, presided at the organ and played the “Wedding March.” / The Sisters in charge of St. Vincent’s Orphanage, South Dunedin, gratefully acknowledge the following thanksgiving offerH ings: —“Client of St. Rita,” 7/6; “St. Anthony’s Bread,” 5/-. ;.p : After many months in preparation, the hp carnival in aid of the. North-east Valley Dominican Convent building fund will be opened by the Mayor of Dunedin on Thursday evening next (the 27th inst.), at 8 p.m., ; and will continue until September 12. The decorations are to be carried out on a lavish scale. The entertainment* is being produced • by Mr. F. Reade Wauohop, and large numV bers of children and adults will take part >i|.in the spectacular revue “Mexicano” which has the gay scene of the exterior of a Mexi-'can-cafe as its background. Patrons will have a wide range of articles to select from i|-; :> at -the numerous stalls. The object is a ip,worthy one and should commend itself to all. .... , The monthly meeting of St. Mary's noli (No. 536) of the H.A.C.B. Society was held son Tuesday, the 18th inst., in the Port Chalmers Convent Schoolroom; the branch president (Bro. S. T. King) presiding over T 2.0, fair attendance of office-bearers tnd mem--4' bers. The usual routine business was transf acted and correspondence dealt with Two a| candidates were initiated as full benefit, men;, i berg, it was decided to invite «he oflucJjearers and members of St. Josephs (ladies'* branch (No. 7) to attend the quarterly meetIpfing on September 15. The brain socretarv (Bro. W. D. Mead) reported having attendJ ed a meeting of the U.F.S. Council, and it was decided to accept the invitH'on from the Council to attend its presen to Dr. Borrie on August 25. In connection with the local Hibernian Society, another successful euchre party was held on the 20th inst., in the Convent School- - room, Port Chalmers. Twelve games were played, the prize winners being:— Ladies (first) Mrs. T. Mathewson; (second) Miss A. Borlace, (third) Miss Lindsay, (consolation) Mrs. Brady; gent’s (first) Mr. Todd, (second) Mr. Hotton, (consolation) Mr. Monti. The presentation of prizes was followed by supper. The next euchre party of the series . is to be held on Thursday, September 3. : Rev. Father Monaghan, S.M., M.A., of j St. Bede’s College, Christchurch, visited vV I Dunedin during the week, and was a guest I of the Right Rev. Dr. Whyte at the Bishop’s • Palace. v Father Monaghan celebrated the nine o’clock Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral ( on Sunday, and in the evening delivered an impressive discourse on the “Sufferings of .the Early Christian Martyrs.” He returned north by Monday’s express. t-

A DELIGHTFUL . ENTERTAINMENT. • With tho object of assisting - the funds of a stall in connection with the forthcoming. Carnival ,do Luxe, Miss - Moira Coughlan staged a most delightful entertainment at St. Joseph’s Hall, on Wednesday evening, the 12th inst.; the efforts of the talented young promoter, and those ho so generously assisted her, being rewarded with a crowded, audience. As was to be expected, Miss Goughian’s dancing pupils filled a considerable portion of the programme, and the artistry they displayed was thoroughly enjoyed. Their particular numbers included drill (class). Toe dance (Miss Ngaira Goughian). Step dance (Miss V. Gantly). Action song duet (Misses V. Gantly and N. Goughian). Dance, “Carmclita” (Miss Rita Beck). Military ballet (toy soldier and class). Action song (Class). Action song (Miss V. Gantly). Dance, “Call of Spring’.’ (Miss Doris Haymes). Dance, -A Birthday Gift” (Little Loretta Kay). Dance, “A Spanish Dancer” (Miss I). Rodgers). Dance, “Mercury” (Miss N. Coughlan). Ballet, “Hawaiian” (classsoloist, Miss V. Duncan). The following contributed pleasing vocal and elocutionary offerings: Songs (with violin obbligatos by Miss Ngaio Garland,' L.T.C.L.),* Mrs. D. (’arty and .Miss Mamie Watson ; ..songs, Miss Olivo Mulligan, Messrs. L. J. McCullough, M- listen, and F. Rodgers; vocal duets, Mrs. I). Carty and Mr. Sidney Taylor; Miss Clare Dillon and Mr. Sidney Taylor; recitations, Master Marcus Coughlan (a clever young elocutionist) and Miss Alice Campbell, A.T.C.L., who was recalled again and again. Another talented performer, Miss M. Gallagher, A.T.C.L., gave a musical monologue in her usual artistic style and, in response to a recall, a much appreciated recitation. Misses Alice George, and Moira Coughlan were accompanists, and Miss Ngaio Garland; L.T.C.L., as violinist, greatly enhanced the evenings entertainment.