VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 18 October 1913, Page 9

VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

*>The Truth About Woman."

, In view of the ever-inoreasing interest taken, even in New Zealand, in toe epoch-making "Suffragette" agitation, the publication, of such a book' as 0. Gasquoine Hartley's (Mrs. Walter Gallichan's) "Truth About Woman" (6. Bell_ and Sons, per Whitcombe and Tombs) is agreeably opportune. ' Mrs. Gallichan, who has achieved some considerable reputation as a writer on art, especially the art of Spain, defines her book as "a statement, of my faith in Woman as the predominant and responsible partner m the relation of the sexes. The book is divided into three i parts—the first biological, the second historical. These two parts are preliminary to the third part,, which deals with the present-day aspects of the Woman Problem,' the between woman and man, and' the relation of the sexes. Mrs. Gallichan contends, that the importance of the biological side of the woman problem is worthy of greater recognition 1 by students; In this section quotations, from Havelock Ellis's "Man and Woman," from Ivan Bloch and other Continental scientists aroi numerous. The growth and reproduction of the sexes, their early relationship, and the origin of courtship, marriage, and the family system are all examined and discussed. In the historical .section the author describes . the origin of the'matriarchal family system and. the' transition'to "father-right," and then discusses woman's.position in the great civilisations of antiquity, in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, and Rome.' In the final.'section. "Present-Day Aspects of the Woman Problem." the author lays, stress upon sex differences and their'.effect upon .tlje relative physical, social, and economical position of women and men,' and refers in .detail to woman and' differences 'in mind, the artistic imDulses of women, and the affectability of women in connection with ' the '. religions impulse. The 'final chapter is demoted to a study of' modern marriage,' 'divorce, and • prostitution, upon' which all three last-mentioned subjects -Mrs! Gallichan.;, ■; writes with. quite' noteworthy • frankness, giving expression to many original-and thoiightcompelling views, some of which are in, striking contrast to what is generally assumed to be "the woman's view of the case."

the New Woman of the Future, Mrs. Galliclian's_ book is remarkable not only for the originality and' courage of the opinions expressed, but_ for the combined vigour and' grace of nry style.' From the final ohapter,*"The End! of.''the'lnquiry," I select the following eloquent passage : — :

My faith in womanhood is strong and deep. The manifestations of the , present,'many, of .which have , given oause for -fear, are,-after-all,- only the superficial evidence of a deep undercurrent: of. awakening.. • .The • .ultimate driving force -/.behind 1 ': is ■ . shaping , a social understanding in woman's;" Spirit- So ; steely ■ P'/from out "''of thfe' ttt'eckage and ''lias-' sion a new woman will arise. Nature will see, to this»' Woman, both by physiological and_ biological causes, fs the constructive force of life. v . Nothing that is.fine in woman will be lost, nothing that is profitable will bo sacrifice. No. the . essential feminine in her will be gathered! ' in a more complete, more enduring, synthesis. Woman! is the predominant partner in the sexual relationship. ... Man is her agent, her helner; hers 19 the supremo responsibility In creating and moulding life. It is thus certain; that woman's present assertion of her age-long richts and claims for truer responsibilities has causes Tooted deep in the needs of the : race. . . . Thus we are Tirought back to the truth from which _ wo ■ started. Women are the guardians of the Race-life, and tho B acesoul. There is no more to be said. It is because we are the mothers ■ of men that we claim to be free. Wo claim this as our right. We claim it • for the sake of men, for the sake of our lovers, our husbands,; and . our sons; we claim it even more/or the 'sake of the life of the race that is to come. ."Then comes the statelier Eden back to men; Then ring the world's great / bridals, chaste and calm: ' • Then • sprintH the crowning race of humankind; May these things be." ' The width and depth of the author's reading on ' the varied phases of . the woman problem, from the earliest time} to the present day, are testified to by the long and very useful bibliography appended to tho bokk. The full index is also a oommondablo feature of _ a work which, whether readers may coincide'with or reject the conclusions set forth therein, is far and away the mo it thoughtful and exhaustive work on the subject of the relationship of the sexes which has appeared for some time past.

The Nation's Library. Copies of two recent additions to, that hdmirable series "The Nation's Library" Teach me from the . publishers, Messrs. Collins Brothers and Co. The titles are: "The Principles of Evolution," by Joseph M'Cabe, and "Industrial Germany," by William Harbutt Dawson. Mr. M'Cabe has made a deep study of the evolution theory, of which he is specially qualified to write a popular exposition. He remarks in his preface that "the / living leaders of evolutionary science are sharply opposed to each other on many important issues, and these differences of opinion are sometimes adduced aB evidence that the whole doctrine is in a state of great uncertainty." It has therefore been the author's object to give a full and clear account) of the principles of evolution, end to sot forth the differences of evolutionists in a way which will enable an inexpert reader to know what is-sottled lind what is not settled. This Mr. M'Cabe proceeds to do, summarising the whole history of evolution. Tn tho final chapter, "Tho Philosophy of Evolution," the author refers at some length to the row fashionable Bergsonian theories, in whioh, it is clear, ho by no means conpurs. . . Mr. Dawson has already written three Or four books on modern Germany, but he manages, nevertheless,. in the 250 and odd pages of his "Industrial Ger-many"-to say much that] is both new end instructive upon a subject 6f real Importance to those who rightly reco'Tnlso In Germany tho most formidable commeroial rival Great Britain has yet fcad to face. In successive chapters Mr. Dawson describes tho occupations of tho German people, the' natural reionroes of the country, its'state railway system, and the development of _ its waterways. Industrial concentration, the working of the numerous industrial »nd commeroial syndicates, the utilisation of water-power, the organisation of labour and capital, the home industries pf tha oonntry, and the development of fto colonics, &Te also dealt with in a Mtioiss, businesslike way, the result

being a book of no small interest and value. Mr. M'Cabe's book is provided with a useful photography, and both books have excellent indexes. (Tho price of each volume is fifteenpence.)

[ Some Magazines. A magazine which is not so well known as it deserves to bo is "The British Review," edited by Kichard Johnson Walker, and published by Williams and Norgate. Its tone is not so exotic as that of the "English Review," whose editor is rather too much inclined to accept anything and everything which may epater les bourgeois, and if all numbers are equal in general merit to that for September it should bo well, subscribing to. The contributors include Ci. K. Chesterton, Francis M'Cullagh (whose article. "Tho Decline and Fall of the Bulgars, throws much new light on tho causes of the recent Bulgarian debacle). Sir Henry Craik, and Major G. W. Itedway ("Strategy and Geography"). There is a short, story by William Caine, "The Hotel du Court Sejour," which is a triumph of the uncanny in literature; an excellent article 011 "The poetry of Francis Thompson"; and many other good features, including some fine verso. Beautifully'printed in ifine bold typo, on good paper, and sold at Is.—-this is surely the cheapest, as it is certainly one of tho best of the English reviews. In "Scribner's Magazine'' for September (Constable and Co.) the redoubtable Colonel Roosevelt has a capital article on VThe Life History of tho African Lion." • Thomas Nelson Pago describes' "The Romantic Founding of Washington," and E. H. Blashfield discusses the progress of "Mural Paints ing in America." . Other contributors include Henry Van Dyke, Maarten Maarteris, Edith Wharton, and John Galsworthy. As usual,- the illustrations are numerous and admirable. ■

Fiction is prominent, in the October ''Windsor" (Ward, Lock and Co., pe» S. and W. Mackay), stories'being contributed by ; Gertrude Page, Halliwell S'utcliffe, Owen Oliver, Albert Kinross, and tlie New Zealand- lady writer, who signs her. work, "G. B. Lancaster." The art feature this month is "The Art of Ford Madox Brown," by Austin Chester. Mr. W. W. Cratch' writes entertainingly oil "The Lawyers of Dickens," and there are other good items—literary and artistic. The illustrations, as usual with the "Windsor," are very well printed.' ,

Liber's Note Book. A Wanganui. correspondent writes: — Re your note in last Saturday's Dominion as to the, origin of "Not to be Won that Way," I.think you will find it amongst Mrs.-Browning's poems, but I have not had a chance to make sure. The first verse is,' I : think, as follow: — "Do you know'yon have asked for the'costliest-thing ',' Ever made by the /Hand; above— A woman's; heart; and a'woman's life, And' a woman's, wonderful love." Tho essays of-Mr. E. N. Lucas are almost as .good, as his novels. The latest biennial collection is entitled "Loiterers'-Harvest,'- and is to be published this month by Methuen s. Tho book includes essays on the paintings of Old Crome and Hobbema, 011 Thackeray's connection with' "Punch," and three series of character-sketches, wayside impressions and gleanings from out-of-the-way books, under the titles respectively of "Persons of Quality," "My Walks Abroad," and "The Fourpenny Box." Volumes of Mr. Lucas's essays are always in great favour as Christmas, gifts, and "Loiterers' Harvest" should be in demand in a couple of months from now.. These'who like to possess Mr. Lucas's stories in a handy pocket form will be glad to hear that his latest story, the delightful "London Lavender," has now appeared in that form, the same form in which "Mr. Ingleside, "Listener's Lure," and "Over Bemerton's" are prized by so many readers.

Kiplingites, and in Now Zealand they are very numerous, will be glad to hear -that Mr. Kipling lias collected tho many sets of verse with which he intersperses his prose narratives. The volume, which will be entitled "Songs from Books," will comprise practically a complete collection of all these poems and chapter-headings;- and should be cordially welcomed by the author's many admirers. There will be two editions, one in the usual crown octavo, at 65., and another in -the excellent limp leather form, at Ss. I presume the usual three and sixpenny colonial edition will also appear, but those who buy Kipling "for keeps" will be wise if they purchase the leather edition.

Frank Harris, to wlioso excellent stories, published under the title "Unpath'd Waters" I alluded last week, is bringing, out a volume of "biographical and critical sketches, "Contemporary Portraits," vivid and emphatic studios based on .the author's personal intercourse with such famous moderns as Carlyle, Whistler, Oscar Wilde, Anatole France, and Maurice Maeterlinck.

It not infrequently occurs that New Zealanders are able to purchase new novels almost simultaneously with their publication in London. "The Regent," for instance, has been on sale some time in Wellington, and yet London papers received this week review it as "having just appeared." Sir Gilbert Parker's fine story "The Judgment House" was reviewed in these columns fully six weeks ago, and j'et the _latcst\ London papers are only just beginning to notice it. Evidently the colonial edition was sent out.wwel t m advance of the English publication. Also, not every reader who buys' novels is aware that whereas v.'v. in New Zealand can bily a colonial edition of a new English novol at 3s. 6d., the English purchaser of precisely tho same edition, often in exactly the same binding, has to pay 65., less 25 per cent, discount, that is, 4s. 6d. net. American novels, which wo buy hero for 3s. fid., aro sold in tho States at a dollar, a dollar twenty-fivo, and a dollar fifty, that is at from 4s. to 6s. net. So, as regards tho price thoy pay for raw fiction, New Zealanders are actually better off than are tho English and Americans.

"Memories and Adventures,"' by Madame Horitto-Viardot, is the titlo of a new Mills and Boon book which should specially appeal to musical peoplo. Madamo Garcia is a daughter of the famous Madame Viardot Garcia, and hor book includes recollections of her uncle, Marmel Garcia, Gounod, Rubinstein, Rossini, George Sand. Dickens, Turgeniov, and other celebrities who visit her 'mother's hoUBe in Paris.

Sir Edward Cook, whoso monumental edition of Ruskin will be remembered, has written a two-volume "Life of Florence Nightingale," of Crimean War fame. The work will bo published by Macmillans.