AN AUSTRALIAN ESSAYIST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 11

AN AUSTRALIAN ESSAYIST.

; There, is much to interest the reader .in "Rosemary," a 'book of mental excursions, rather' than.trim essays, by Elenor Mordaunt.who is .'described on tho titlepage, as author, of the "Garden of Contentment." ; Like most books of the kind written by; women, it is apt to be too introspective, to dwell too much on personal -.- feelings of admiration ■ or dislike, but tho personal opinions aro original and interesting, .and thero is much food for reflection,in it., Tho twenty chapters have individual headings, but so discursive, are they, that few; except perhaps the ones on' r ,ofc, on Memories, and on Hooks, can be regarded as dealing at all closely with the'subjects'.named..-.There are-odd .little/bits of wisdom, ; and 'experience, scattered through the book, and a few/quotationswillgive an idea of its stylo and. range.: Here are. some:

■': "When lovers swear that -they will never change, they swear with a. folly whichl believe incidental to.the malady. If they •swore never to -love- less, only differently, it would bo'b'ettor. For,love, like everything else, can never be stationary .or of a rigid, prescribed, height and breadth.' It must be,as nebulous, •though as'. necessary as thY air in our.lives, strengthening us for.orir' work, fortifying us. for-'onr.trouble..-'..-By building on anything definite we arc iundono, for that one quality-may.,'so easily, fail us. Women .have a ,true instinct in "this; they do : not wish to be loved for any reason .'in- particular, for', they know that beauty..;fades, wit .wearies, riches .pass; they would bo loved for. themselves alone,' and in this they ..are .right. .It is.oiily when love.is an-7irresistible, indefinable attraction ';' when- two ..souls; literally, fuse together at a glance; when,'howevoT,"they

may.; disagree,";however 'each may- disapprove, of/ traits in"■ one', another,". yet - in spito; of; all ..this .; they cannot/free their thoughts-oven .if-they would,; they.cannot be; tDgethor ; but that they-mentally inclino.', towards one;-another, /they' cannot; pass, but .they.-would,.touch, one another; ;it:is.only then that,lovo -lasts." "■' : ; How-heartrending; it. seems.', tu-; be old in;the spring. "Thank; God, .when we are once dead wearealliyoung."; . . , . ■. ■ ' "I; have'.'a-friend• of the rarest, discreet, tolerant, unchanging,-/vjho used to teach at a/school, day in ,'ahd' day out,''for ; a .bare .fifty pounds, a year.. Out. of, this she had to kecri herself,'.what,there-.'was '.of; her, after letting': out..her niihd'.eaoh' day fin.- allotments': to idle'.careless tenantry,- herself,, too tj,ted in the morning'; for any- sense of rest, too \iearied'.'when the. day's work was . done;,;.even for thought, merely-feeding '.and 'clothing "ah empty, shell, ...of. 1 nb' comfort, to. anyone. Fortunately,-:she.is. one'of. those rare.brings who .understand;the relative values' of. lifo,;of. which: finding, herself quite bereft,, she gavo; up-herschool/work, 'a 'certainty,. : her.' friends said, and, therefore, not-tobe.lightly'relinquished; a certainty, of; what, I. would, ask, .except-extinction?; . and 'lowering' her-'meagre;' expenses' even more than, before,, gathered 6ome private pupils,;.compressed : : them--'all." into three days 'of; really'i stimulating -hard' work' each; week; and for ' the- other four lived gloriously;' mistress, of her' life, in.'comr pany,.with the wit and:wisdom, of; life, .still; vital 'between...' the shabby ■ covers '1 a . the. publio library. '-.-; ....-., ,'.;;. '."I sometimes pass.through the suburbs,, by tow-upon row. of; Bnug villas,-'with then discreetly curtained- windows,' and •marvel as. : l 'think, that-within them 'are , passing-lives '.of; heroes ■ such /as Homer sang; temptations such as Goethe penned,. love6';as pure and rare.as ever.Shake.'spearo told ;of.;, Love.and hate,'.'.and life and', death; may ..have' passed ' in,' all • their sweetness - and ■ fear up- those' neatly. Whitened .steps, and through. that "varnished doorway. t;A shadow .on the blind ; has 1 many a time rolled; forth its epic for me, and;:those laceJiangings :and flower-pots may be; but a -screen to heaven or'hell. - "We read long histories .which if they told us of the Brownsand Jones's wo would not" tolerate.. We flock to the theatres to see. comedies'and tragedies, which are; for ever being acted around 'us.'-- We must bo told what: to see. 'This is a. moori/this a wall.'" ; ' -. '■':'■;':" ■'-'•'■" / / \