SOME NEW BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 9

SOME NEW BOOKS.

"Land.ofthe/Morning. , ' By ..Tesrio Mac■'•ltay. .'Wellington; ■'.' Whitcoinbe and UTombvLtd. :■/:/■'>■".: ; ';-' '■■- - \ /-

...ilt'is'a circumstance, worth; rioting that two: of "'the. three finest living -poets ;'.in Australasia are: women, and'' 'a-, curious' fact that both of them live.in /.Canter,'bury,'.whore the third, Professor Wall, also .Tesidas! We refer,. of. course,'..to Miss. Bauahan and Miss Jessie Mackay. Vox .■■' very, long: tinio .Miss Mackay, has been a mostWmsatisfaotory sort of.poet: wp have, had to .track.down her-vcrses as tliey ap- : pearetl,, in eccentric "poet's corners," aud; then. to', paste them; into' scrap-books. She is now, forgiven,- for-.'slie has at last, on-' ablol us r.to have the:best of her work.in a'- /permanent shape. It is ; tobe hoped that ;her publishers—who;iieed;not '■:. hope oy;or 'again.to;be able.'to.'print.ivithin any /.eighteen.months '.two'.'; ; volumes of, poetry so 'fine /as "Shingle-short" and "Land of. tho. ; Morning"—havo;done. Miss .; Jfackay the- justice, and the; British. lovers of rioblo.verse the good service,: of, plaein" "Land' of : the..;Jl9rning";on:,tho BritisS' market^'./Whoii-.^wo".■ reviewed. Miss'•' Banghan's-volumo'aiittle while ago, ,wo remember,' tho ; main ■ : .,difficulty was to k-eop -a' cool head,.;for! even 'the prodigy ,of: a. blaze' of gold in a steady grey stream ,of native "clay could not,'we knew, ex■cuse extravagance. ; A - like difficulty, confronts ; ;us 'in -•• discussing" Miss • Mackay's spl-eiidid book, y-It" is;.;as. easy tq .' ovor,:praise, of-course, as; , to misapprehend and under-ostiinate, but; 'just as :iu'•• Miss Baughan s. caso ; our . modified transports :,were.outdone■ by.tho best British.critics, so,;wo have no doubt that wherever thero: is any.Mnderstanding of; poetry "there will' ■be. .the; , samo< enthusiasm vis we! natives have for■;tho poignant .beauty and fiery emotidn of -Miss ITackay's poems.' •' .v-:i -Hors-is'the 'undying' flame that lights np.tho:ghosts:'and wonders;of the world that- is closed .to the spirits ,of most of us.: -She has the second-sight of tho Highland., Kelt, .and she', writes constantly, as if she.-.were in a trance,'as if she'.were .^ : ;:; : :;.::y' ; v.;^' ~ -v:.r,.. By' Odin, yea! -I saw'the black 'horses.":' V I.looked., in-the - shield,: the :-witch- : ": .woman's shield; -~. ;,::''..; ';',.:.. It;iras; clear as the.ice; it waxed and it' :■.;,;: widened;: : , ■'■■■-.■''■ ■■■-.': •.■':■:'.., ' ;,. vAnd iuiit I saw as .a" rain-beaten field. As a result; .-.she, sees with such piercing keenness, is strung' 'so tense ..with her cmotipn,'; that',the perfect: word comes-rnsh-perfect image:, ...... ' i.'

"The; swelter;«£; wave , eating, landward." '"Thesilier road- to Appin rinnisi' a.' 'tho .'.:.';:: /way,.toVGod!":. y ; y/ '; : \i;■.:'. ■-.' : >.-..".-•' "Gold ;o':.the wind-ribbed corn.".'•''"' •> '••;■ y,Tjkp;;a\black enamoured''. King whis•.'r l ; : ,y'pered-lpw: tho thunder ■■ ; ■' - : Tp;'|he/ljghts.of/Epslyn,"-/ v-•';::;;;.; "Manless 'and , kihgless and 6nnless'i' : tho •'i?' v /.'y;',:'' ■;■■;/'■,.•■-■•,(■•:■:'■■ .'jli,/the:: courts of. the virginal dawn." -'■; ."The,;p'rp.nd\ towered city".! of Ireland." ', ; '?Phe; moph's beating /gold .." / ;, '/•:./;: bays/;;, y;.;:/./;- ■ With , a:;hammer' of rays." ..;•/"/;;: - - ; .'■ > i"Oh;:.tne«shadow's-on'the glen; and' the the heart. ■ ..; .-'.' • , flf.ytheV.far-wandered; ■ men. .of '''. Strath- ,:/"'/;./'',/ y/y -'r--;.y .;;/,; '■' Dee^. J ' ;. ■'. ■;';,' v'Southward': lies-lhe<nested town, :' ' ! . an(Ulpw, ; :and/-still; '.:iy .'- , : arid , good [on^l^^y^M^%;^y : •-,} ;: */' / :^ ; ;jKiss?iiraclaiy.'s" poems •pn/thisVpageJ^l'Fir.iJ.'psteJof■;Appin"- is by ;itself'-'siifficient;:tb : ,/'s : ;al»yeSali;'.fhe in /ppignancyyv of. i eniption.'. , i f . of ■ ex- , her ;poqras'.'is:::oftenAlcss;.;thSri- the 1 passion of ;theirj'.cry,:i«.sh'e;.has.,a. magnificent eensd of?moyeriient;'and rolling Thythin. ■/'■,'.ln : ,,: Walter-the Minstrel"/ the melody is'per.fecti' most perfect; where it appears, to be ■just broken , .:.: With .what a gallant 'dash goes,'."TheyLoye;of-'Ellangar"V ';Z;;;:// , ;■-.'

■As Trodfl out, a landlesslord,:.wildchief S?t :ofigilderKernes-■:.:.- ...■.■;. ::;;, ,:'is -I: tocloiby'the blackened, keep > of. Kif : tho:Tpwer;of;.Ellangar, ■ '"■■■■.■/ ; ;".; She,gave, a; rose , to;;me^-tp"ine';■' a-,rover :'!.":.'.'-."-;starfcyiuid- stern, - —/::';:• ■:■-;-"■- ■■<. '•.-' ' .■,.: . : A;bir3;s!ing put on the topmost'bough,. /v;V,;:.iu.l..the'-'TOrld.'-''lia(i r -,'doiie^with'''-tlie' ; I.- -^Kt-ji: : : •■;■■-..'■. ■.'■'■'. i ,; ■''!.;'•!''.: v ; .->:>■:■, "Joy ; galore, ■'...■ ■ yi : .'.. \ i '•'.' . ■/: •■' .;, : v ; fr'':'''And?.roseß.-.inore,-'.-v ■•■';•'•'- ,: -■: '. ■ :, ''l->. ■•; With: :TJna: of .-■ Tyrone. , ?'; .-, i-;; , ' , Francis Thompson would, not havei begun : a poem/;with, the;bright- onset .at "The Heart of the.Young Man": '■■■ :.. i , i : -will; wash■ iny,;hands. ift-the.. mbrning Y;: :i 'glory,; •'.; ; •'( ', ;•:■ -.;;.,■ '■.;•; ,' ■ g;-All on the bridge of. the colours seven! ■I will dress my hair with the darts of V;.-'-'.''moiiiing-i-;...-. ,-/,•■.'■.■■'\ , : , .'.'"'.'■":■ '. . .'• ••■.■ :. On tho leveTroso at thegate of heaven! 'But there is a : spiritual'kinship between the'., writer'.of 'these lines and .the great young poet/who; wroto;"Sister Songs;" We have not' space" for any , further quotations.: .■Those.who,know Miss Mackay's poetry:do not.need'quotatipns; thosb'who do: not will, .we ; hope, r . make all haste ■to-- repair-, their, deficiency, and: secure .a. volume, that contains' nothing weak, nothing inconsiderable,; and: much that is .so. fine.that it.Mvill remain a permanent mcntal'-possession alter the 1 first charmed Reading , oi';it.V:c,;;i; .>■''■■': .■: ••

"New. Zealand in Evolution.?' "By Guy H. Scholefield.: London:' T. Fisher i :Uihviu, , 10s.'ud.net. .-.:. v ; : ;:. .. ..••:-.■ ■■..■

■:_ Wo . neatly, doubt Uvhetlier, -the New :/ea and. public has, any Iceen "-desire to road books about, this countrv. Even the smallei-.public" of" is not eager to know what ..the latest author of a volume upon ..the-growth.;oiv develop- . inent. or evolution.; of N cw Zealand .has to .say;,for;.tho;very.i(;ood reason "that such books, as, they ,are, ;usually'for foreign consumption, must than treatises.. ; Primers ,have their uses, but :they'aro of ; no use'to'tliosewhb wjsh to understand .what may 'be'called.ttie spirit--uarcasp, of.New.Zealand, the effect:of its legislatiou;..the tendencies of its growth ■and 'of its liolitics. ; : Mr. •Seholefield's handsome .volume—which ;.is 'illustrated with .many:beautifully.'.'reproduced■■■■'aiidi ■extremely; well-ehoseiv' ; .'.photpsraph's—is' .really : only" a primer-ih .the -.'shapo , of'a l long.'statistical eulogy'.;, .Compured with many' other volumes of. a siniilar character it./has'two great.morits of its ov;n,'namely, its .up-tb-tl&teness, and.its clear..and 'inteiligeht tables. Wo believe that no : for- '•"• eig:i. reader of "New Zealand:, in Kvolution" can close the book -without havin" ■a -pretty correct idea of the outward iii° .pearaiice of the- Dominion,'-.'and-.' of the Kind and;.the, rate of ; 'its development..,So 'much cannot, be, said of most: of the books that/have purported to ■' tell the story of the progress of this''country; ;'But there is all the difference'in-.tho;.world jpetweeu" a tuilor's' kuov/ledgoof'his customer 'and the. knowledge possessed by that customer's intimate, associates. Mr. Scholefield's ])ook, to state Hie 'fact frankly,' is .quitp superficial.. This criticism: must bo madej :sinco •tho;very, title lie hns chosen, for his ;i5 an assertion thatho lias; produced ; something . very difierenfc.froni : - a handbook -of-'.facts'-'-and %ures...;:lle has not ;done.Eo.,: Ho hns not given us anything how. oven in-the'matter of facts and figures. . Tα ;those ; ivhoso busincss'it is to' niaiiitain iv- steady, 'observation . of ; tho .course of! events in T ow Zeiiland, and even, to humlreds of ordinarily: thought-: ful people 'who' have■ theiv -own ; biisiiiens .toatten<l;to, : there will bb;nothing: new in. the.whole 3J5. pages.of tho,book. This is not to sny.that/the book is.useless and uiuiecessary. .On the .contrnry, it is 'very usnl'ul;. I'm Mr.-Scholeiidil has. lumdlcd his .'material': exceedingly, well., lie: has, Inderal, .([ivi'n: us ■: tho ; first ''■: orderly, .cniiiprohcnsivp'.'..- arid", '-lucid account v of tlin'.vdt'Vrloiiirieiit of- Now Zealaiul '• that has yet been, produced by any .writer; in

a single volume. ,llq is easy to read. He is never vague or confusing when summarising his facts,: his figures,' and his events. Ho;is generallvmostaccurato in quoting statistics;,and, for the,first'time, tlio foreigner will be able- to understand something.of tho country., : , : Unfortunately/there is more to be said against the 'book'than we have been.glad ■fp ,my inits favour. MivScholefield has uttlo or no acquaintance 'tho'principles of industry. Hβ h'as not mado any attempt to look at-the financial side of k'ew Zealand's.story; his tale of growth, is therefore of .no .great value to serious students. Ho nloss not show .'what nil progressive" legislation': has cost us, -or how hardly it will pvessoh the next: generation, when : the virginal boom ot our:counh-y subsides to normal.: That there is no examination of the growth of taxation ..and" tho' growth of the public ?? c.' s . a , 6crious fault ; ia this book,: But Mi: bcholefield becomes downright absurd when he attempts a littlo generalisation on the working.of the Arbitration Act. Wo .ire astonished that he should have contrived:to remain ignorant of some 'of the simplest principles of industry and oxenango. Ho. receives Mr. W. P. Eoeves's approval in an introduction, to besure, but ■Mr. Ejavcs himself has some doubtful observationsof his oto. ,' For example; we arc torn, that the chief factor" in the country s advancement has been "steady and intelligent .industry." Nobody auestious that that was. a big. factor, -but Mr. .-Keens says nothing of tho vast loans." lo return,, however, to Mr. Scholefield. Ho says.that.New Zealanders know that ■the cost of living has gone up, but "they tolerate-.it .-because-'.they are willing to rnnko" sacrifices fo,r the sake of preserving fair social /.conditions." .He speaks of tho economic .principles of ' tho Old World,. .-as wlio' should say, "the laws .of motion, as they work in Britain," or' "tho,laws of British;mathematics." Ho says .that it is tariff protection,that is the 'keystone" ■of. the laws 'that have .'diffused education,: capital, and wealth amongst the .population." -He seeins -to share Mr. "Fowlds's ' contempt. for : wool (page.; 72). . makes Mr. Scholefiold's eri-orsj when lie; writes of State Socialism, . the - more remarkable is the .fact' that ; ho understands, tho reason,why tho State may exorcise..somp supervision over;the primary industries:- "The Government of New Zealand/has simply, acted as policeman, and tutor to tho traders and 'farmers engaged in business!" .:We are , told that 'our: "economic experiments" are ."every day. justifying. themselves.", Discussing; tho land cjuestionj'ho abounds in mistakes; but it is really not his fault that he thought that thp land, question has 'been' brought: to a solution" and tnat-"it is now again definitely affirmedthat lands repurchased/by the Stato for closer' settlement shall never again bo granted '■ in ,fcb, simple". : Of. tho plain errors of fact there is a strildng example '.on pago ■'21S ) -:.whero it is said that tho .-raising ..of. tho .tariff wall to continue protection to; tho'increasingly costly production, has {"happened,/ not. once- or /twice, .-within I .the- past few years, with the full- concurrence'- of ./Parliament and the people"! Mr. Scholefield has ononew .doctrino .of his .own,' of a ■ strangely entortaining.character.,: Ho" affirms, that ' overtime /working is bad.: "For ■ tho : employers it means: payment at increased rates: for tho, men a.-'loss. of that:leisure for recreation which is essential to continued,: efficiency." : Ho quotes 'with approval, a writer who says-of Now Zea'laud; "Wages,being uniform, competition has-been' fairer." Tho absurd fallacy that "fairness" is'produced only by making" wages, nud prices uniform was '• exploded, seventy years ago by-Bastiat. The chapter on the industrial disturbances is of.littlo valuoi 'and it" is vitiated once or- twico .oven,by- a waut of candour. ..-Eighteen .strikes' in thirteen years"' conveys sv very: different ■ idea than would be produced by,., the admission that the eighteen, strikes;,all.-took, placo in two years./.; Nor. is -it true -that' "all classes in New Zealand are , firhv believers",- in , the. Arbitration rAct:. iMr; Scholefield 'so : bttlo - understands the" ■ evil/ of - State ■ ,cialism.;thatV he'actually claims as the main virtue of ■■■■ State/ ti'ading .its , worst ;vice, namely, the indifference,of the' Goy-' ornment to; profits; , -which, of course, is lndifferpnc'e to economy. On tlie railways, our '.author pimply adopts. , Sir /J. Q. Wards-arguments,' and it is sufficient.to point ■■ out that those ■ arguments have been repudiated .by, the present .Minister. J.he, : publio-is said to bo"quite willing" that -the railways should not- pay! -Perhaps ■ feV^r; pf ,! ? 1 m - SchoMeld'-Sigeneral. statements , "on 'ecpuomid'points is Ids' tisserhon, ina discussion of the tariff,: that ~tlio,.sea moat :by. which the' gi'olip is •■ surrounded-., itself ■• -' a' Veiy, -definito measure-.of- protection"!, This.-is as "absurdas to say that.-thb greater tho difficulty .one .has in getting/bread: the better.. Is it necessary to point:out that if tho 'proposition quoted is .a ■ sound one, then New;Zoaland.-w6uld. be best :off if it had no trading relations ■ with any other, country , at all-no , means of ■ obtaming the.thousand things that it 'can purchase with what- it can produce in excess of its. owi needs, no means of '.disposing of all its:,wool and butter? ' ■ ■ : \V o should not .have' troubled to. point out the defects of Mr.-Scholefield's book' were it not that they are bad.in.themselves, ; and that;his tiao.<challenges"s'omo analysis ;of■'.the; land ..wo.:;bavo-mddc. Yet, wjth all/its faults, '.tho book is one winch -we -should recommend. before most others as a-handbook , oh the development ofNew Zealand. The social study of New Zealand has yet to be' written •■ ' ■

Maoris of ..New Zealand." By James , Cowan. 1 Messrs. and Tombs. :; 125." '-'.••.■■.■'■'■ ■ ' ';.., .■ .- :, \:.

.: .The scope/and theories' of this ' work are-well.discussed in a special article by ±Laro iiongi, published-elsewhere' in this lssne. The inclusion: of a book upon the Maoris ma series: entitled "The Makers ot;. Australasia;".; among volumes of "The Explorers.; of-. Australia/' .-: VSir Georse Grey.''-,and 'TEdward Gibbon Watefield" is a little odd. It strikes ono • that whon the Maoris-had been several centuries in Australasia' it was still very, much as they-found; it, , and all tho "making" has resulted from .-indifferent'. advent. Tho editor ■■ of the. ■ Hight, in d prefatory noto attempts' this objection by .'suggestiag that the ■ Maori. ocicupaboh. has already tinged, and will still further, colour, tho life, ■ art, ' : poetry, science,: and philosophy;. of wliito New Zealanders.' ; . This. is, a small ground on: which to base the book's inclnsiou : in:the series, .but after all it is moro'important to Iμ. thanlcful for ".Mr. Cowan's work than"' to : troublo about the placo of its appearance. The author lias-had many qualifications to.'.write this book, of which the chief are'personal knowledge of,,and symilatliy witii, the. Maori, and' a ■ literary, skill • and • picturesqueness .equalled onJy by a very fa>v of his pre<lecessors in the 'field.;, The book treats of tho Maori in.a'wido varietj - of aspects—his history, religion and mythology, customs, social life and institutions—and ' it' is "in no sense',a compiLition. -Mr.. Cowan has talked to; tho old tohungas and . former man-eaters'-in -their .pas, and translated into -spirited'-English' the legends, tales of battle and reyeugls;ehants and defiant war, songs ;that have, fallen from their lips. Naturally ho can tell us. no more about the character and modes of thought of : tho old Maori 'than has been told already by. such, sympathetic observers as Judgp Maning and. others,- but. the old traits'and customs are made interesting by a'wealth of new illustrations, '-and several, times the author has been able to shed, new light on questions of historic fact, notably in regard to the bravo ■defence of. Orakau and: the sorry Wairnii massacre. Mr: Cowan likes , his; old Mnori; oven ;with his faults thick, upon himj'-'.-ho extenuates nothing, and- sots down nought in malice; l ho does not tell 'tis," for example, that caunibalism' -was only cherished ns tho last form of contempt that could be visited upon a vanquished, enemy. Instead of. _so palliating the worst vice of tho ancient Maori, ho is' very frank indeed upon the custom. "Ho (tho Maari) was a horrible cannibal, and boasted of, it. ;. i .. Ho followed it (canuibttlism); not onlj' as a .sacrificial war-rite, but also'from"'a craving for 'moat,' as he bluntly expresses it;. Endless stories coniinn tliis, and very probably the custom oroso through the absenco of other-big game in the islands of the .Pacific." -Tno' WTitcr tells sonio ghastly stories of this for "manmeat,", and also of tho cruelties which tho Maoris often practised: in wnr, but thaeft'ect isiriot.so grimly horrible ns are, for■ example, some of tho.pages of Jiidra Wilson's "Story of To Wnharoa." That .is because Mr. Cowan tells these I-stories in tho inconsequential manner of somo old Maori reprobate, who had taken -part in tho'. acts related, and remembered them with interest'and a gentle humour, but without tho least contrition I — perhaps even with,: n : mild returning relish. * Mr.' .Cowari has. tho same Maori gaiety iiuil carelessnes3 that distinguish the '.'Pnkeha- Maori's" masterpiece. He (ells his story very much as a Maori would tell it; he does.net sermonise.

Ho says what is not generally said in his vivid, description of tho poi; djuice, and he sketches lightly tho artless practices of the old Maori: plensuro place, Ruapeka Bay, whero freedom was so unrestricted that.:it. becamo. .a proverb, "There is no law in Kuapeka." In Mr. Cowan's book there.is ho unneeded glossing of a savago state, and no superfluous mqral. , ''■ .'"■■■ / . -

From a literary point.of view, the, book is, fresh and bright andvivid in an. unusual degree." Mr. Cowan has a sen«! of contrast; and also' of analogies, arid his numerous translations of songs and chants—many :of;. them, untranslated hitherto— are -among tho bost/ wo havo seen. The following lines from a-canoe song, for." example, could' scarcely be moro spirited or effective:— , Behold,' my paddle!. ...' Now 'tis raised ..on high—the paddle! Poised for the plunge-rtho paddle! Now we spring forward! . .-'■'.■ : Now.it leaps and flashes—tho paddle! , It quivers like a bird's iring,; • -"; This paddle of- mine! This paddle,, whehco came it? ■ -It camo from the Kahu-nunni, . •From the Kahu-rorpa, >.' ■ ' . /' It came from tho Great Sky—above us. The' work is printed ■ on. the heavy paper of: the , series, .and is strongly bound, with nnmerons fino illustrations. The writer and> publishers are to be congratulated on a: valuable addition to Now Zealand literatare. ; : . '■■'•■.-•.. . " :. "Devotional Hours. With the Bible," by' . J.:E. Miller. London: , M-essrs/.Hodder and Stoughton. Wellington:, Messrs. Whitecorabo and Tombs.;. x / . This book comprises a.'.series, of studies of ; Bible ohapters-from , the crossing of the, Eed/Sea, t0... the close of .Daniel's Life. They are very simply expressed,' and Eoeni especially well designed for teachers .in Sunday schools. The interpretation put upon tho Bible stories is always strictly: literal. No scientific -explanation is ; suggested, for example,-of the manna which. fell from heaven,- and which :is' treated throughout: the' first chapter as a miraculous gift. The method adopted by the author is to take some passage, of scripture and deduce its lessons,and applications step ! by .step, with , anecdotal and/other illustrations,", in tho manner of a common type of sermons. The treatment is always reverent 7and simplo, and.tho author's reflections.upon these Bible stories are likely to' bo of «se:to many mindv especially-those of young peoplo to whom -they may. be. conveyed/by a. teacher. /'/-: , ; ; ■