VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1995, 28 February 1914, Page 9

VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Australia from a Woman's Point of View. One of. tlio, most comprehensive, interesting, and, iri its way, most valuable descriptions :ot Australia, its people, its _ national, civic,'and social life, that has yit appeared, is contained'in Miss Jessio'Ack'ermann's. "Australia from a Woman's Point of '.view"'• (Cassell and &• and;\V. Ma-okay). It is an immeasurably bettor book 1 than that.on the same subject' by Mr. Foster Fraser. xho author is a well-known temperance advocate and social reformer, but,' save on- very rare occasions, Miss Ackormann leaves her own particular propaganda on ono'sido. What she says about the Federal Labour party, and, indeed, upori. the labour; or trades union, movement'generally,' ivhich sho found in the various States," may give offence in certain quarters.but'it would bo difficult to point to-any,passages displaying delib- . erato' unfairness.". In the chapter head-ed-"toliticians,'' sho'is-'just as severe . upon'the Liberal^—tho' Australian Liberal—party."as she lias been upon-Mr. .Andrew Fisher and some of his colleagues and supporters. Still, hard, as . Edmo of the things sho says about Australian ' politicians—"the '.incompetent, inexperienced' men are : about equal in . number ; among both Liberal snd'Labour parties"—-Miss Acke'rmann holds them in : some' degreo of esteeiri, as compared with;tho American .variety. - The.Ameri- - can' politicians- are,; she . soys, . "from , a 'far more brainy ;'arid' intelligent class, but thpy,aro corrupt to-tho core." The Australian ; politician' is declared, to . be . "either- brainless'onymatters/of State because of lack of experience,, or-he. is irivthe bondage of 'salary arid party,- and. dare/not: use-' his 'brains 'if he. possesses any." But; he is "riot dishonest." If, I think most'readers ;of tho book -will .agree "with riie, the' author is somewhat unjust to- Australian politicians. she. : .does-full.-.justice;',to tho many'"good, qualities'pf ilje,';pebple, tlioir sunny good nature,' thiir, unfailing' hbspitnlityi, and' ■ 6p'forth." 'Id'the. chapters dealing .'with, Australian womfeti', arid/especially.-. - in; that'j;hea(3ed "-The • Girls 'of, . Australia,";' some (disagreeable (hbmertruths - may; afc there/is/rio/gain'sayi^ the sincerity,'; and 'the'courage'~of.the. oritibisih.A :%'e'ri''.if'this, or. .that' judgment riiay_ beheld unfair;!.or;.''uhkindi" 6ii'ch;"writing --fa,"vastly^,to : be preferred to-th&gushfu^^urimcasuredipriiso'of'thc"' globe-trotter author"' who. ignores all' but ■ the pleasant,': mere- surfaco-side 'of; national "and : family life. AVritteii-with the BpMial>purpqW'of 'describing tho life' of. tne.'^ii»rolian%<nnotn',' and dealing .witli' the j.part'- she'"plays, : ;-tbe;. part;, sho 'might' 4 play, arid .tbe/paijtVwliichj .according to Miss: Ackermariii ,•{ slip ''ought.'to play, in. the life of the?iiatiori,; the Wok is by ;no .-"-means confined' ! 'to- that-subject". Tho author has paid'•{pur: yiSJts'-'to;',Austra-lia,,' has been'. closest -contact with- every phase -of life iu cadi State,iand has,-, she declares, "travelled far mgre 'csteiisivo'ly ■ than any visitor J ho. has landed on -Australiaii.;.shores." H?r . pictures >■ < f bush lifor'.df ;thb: mdustries' and amusements of the are vigorously drawn,, and pathetic pen. An' Excellent '.feature 4 < f the; book is- '.its •''illustration's; ' which aumber ; no fewer ,than page plates, -mostly from' photographs. (Price, 3a.;6d.).-

Mrs, Robert Louis Stevenson.The deatli of-Mrs.,Robert Louis Stevenson was : announced ifi,the :eablos last •***• ' ,a most devoted .wife. As to that'there is ample, testimony; in oteyensotvs ".Letters." In many; ways she. was; a n exceptiohally gifted -.woman.btwenson .first met .his .wife in .-Paris, .what time "R-.L.S.'.'Vas amusing himself: with art and literature at Barbizon. on© got a divorce - from, her >• first .-luisStevenson, married her in Francisco, about tho closo of that dreadfuLpehod of, poverty'of. which tho novelist .himself wroto ivjth what I have alnays thought .tor be.sucli falso'.gaiety' te Ins friends SidHey.Colvin and Charles flaxter.:,, Stevenson ( had been 'despcrate--1%.-?wt a nurse,\;aiia-up..,in-'the,. Silverado pjjieMvopcls,: 'where fa s spent,.- he -gradually. got- back what if l nr'* ' a .'f!W to f robustness of health.,,^ silly,rumour found its way W o, 'i° 'Benson's first husband, Mr. Osborne, , gave i, er a m marriage to Stevpnson,, and' that the second husbandafterwards, fraternised Mth his predecessor. As. a matter <f ' 1 t° t — -it-on .tile, authority of Imogen. the,-Ameri-can, poet, Stevenson.-never, in his lifo even saw. the-father of Lloyd Osborne the. time of his mqt : hcr's ;niarriage to the famous Spot. -|?tawas;-a. : amere mite of • a?persoi),'?vh'er-husband calls her "i : oner.oi his. lettjeff,'; 'bub posmental after,Stevenson's.deatfv that. Mrs. Stevurged:'hor'husband during the,later years-at'gamoa 'to Jiferary ex-which-Whed too sovercly 'upou h s^eakened^hysKi" o , But the plain truth is that if , Stevenson did overwork himself at-Vailima'it was largely due. to his'unwise expenditure upon an estate which never.paid its way. To in'infnl!ated in at -leastone English journal, that- the- wife was in, any ;W? y to-Maim* for. the too he'aw toil which the;author chose to'iindertako sin gu'arly-bad teste. Wheii the Ste\ensons were living at-Bournemouth, so I was told when visiting that:town W°>:-bxXMy\ Who knew them very. ;intimately,-,nnd /wlw - -a frequent visitor."to; "Skorfwore," the wife was m the habit of forcibly ,remov° .ing her husbands •••.'•writing, materials'! when she thought -ho was' overdoSi How prominent, a-part .Mrs. Stevehsoil' nO TfW B .' ,if P be seen in tho - Letters, to-my, mind &orb'interesting than all Stevenson's' works. Ho .writeshis wife ever in terms of deepest affection. Probably, no ond beside himselr, ■ knew .ni9re of Mrs Stevenson's -. character . than ; did Mi-' (lion-: Sir Sidney)' Cblvin,. and his testil mony to tho late Mrs,.Steveiison, which is given' in "his. introduction to ScstionVI of "Tho Xette'rs". (vol. XXIII, n. 279, Swaiistop'Edition),. is, I think-' worth quoting tore•'- ; ''

' .After spending. the months of Juno and July,' 1880, in the rough CaHforni.in mountain quarters described in "Tho • Silverado Squat-, ters,". Stevenson took, passage withhis wife and'; young ■.stepson ' from' .Nov.' York on August.7, aud arrived on the, 17th at IJiVerpool, where liis' parents and. I were waiting to meet him. Of her new family, the Mrs. Robert Louis, .'Stevenson'. brought thus strangely and from afar into their .midst made an .immediate eonquest. To her husband's especial happiness'there sprang up between .her and ' his father, the "closest possible affection and; confidence. Parents. and. friends—if it is pormissiblo to one of the latter to say as much —rejoiced to recognise in StcvenBoii's.wifo a character as strong, intcrosting'iand rpmajitic'alhjost.as his own,., an : inseparable' sharer of his. thoughts, and staunch companion of all his adventures; the;most openhearted of friends to all, who loved hini; theimbst.shrbwd and stimulating critio: <tf -b Wf yorfe'and .in" sick*

• ness, .'despite her own precarious health, the most devoted and most efficient of nurses. • Mrs, Stevenson survived her illustrious husband •by a little over twenty years.

Borrow and "Hans Breitman." \ 'Ait.old. and valued correspondent at Feilding writes as follows: — - . "I always appreciate friend 'Liber's' weekly book notes, and was specially delighted with Lis chatty article on George Borrow. 1 I have "beon a reader ofBorrow ever since 1860, and havo owned, lent, and lost more copies of his books than I caro to Temember. Still, I havo four volumes left to charm mo in my declining years: Only 0110 author I know who lias ever attempted to throw mud at ,my idol, and that-is-Charles ;Lelixnd ("Hans: Breitmaii"), who, in: his .'Memoirs' does Borrow au injustice by asserting that tho latter had not 'tho gift of tongues.' Leland (p. 435) says:' 'One tho great writer (B.) .and divers young diplomatists dined- together.. Two were seated 1 on either side of Borrow, and began to talk- in Arabic, speaking to him, tho result being that he was obliged to confess that lie not ouly did not understand what, they were saying, but did not even.;know what tho' language was.. Then lie' was'tried in modern' Greek, with tho same result.'

"Leland, however, was ■wrong in attributing any importance to tho incident he describes Once,, in the Magistrate's Court at Feilding, I remember a French witness;, being. called upon. to give, evidence. .-Tho. Magistrate (the late Mr. Robert. Ward),',' .with 1113 customary politeness, inquired if the witness would like an interpreter. . Of course lie accepted the, proposal. A man whom I knew to be a .good Trench scholar —so far as' the written language went —was sent for. On his arrival tho Magistrate suggested that the interpreter and tho witness, should .converselitt-lo to sco ,how'!they'_would...got' on together.''. The interpreter, vvith'all the.corilidenco of ail expert;, 'dashed into ; French,' as' he Jonestly believed, to the admiration of , all 'beholdfers, 'except tho Frenchman, .who, after; listening, with great . ;.attention for a 'while,' turned to .Mr. Ward and asked -lyith a countenance ospressiing great.anxiety, 'I.say,".-what;zo h —ll dis'man talking about?' Perhaps Borrow: might' havo' justly asked the'.same question.,; Leland is- a .charming"e'gotist, , aud.has-'writ : clever and amusing, book'ill ,tlio'Memoirs,' and', the i;worlcV ofres,'him,a' debt.ol gratitu.de for ' •'Hans/-Breitman,':" but he : met Borrow when, the latter was an old, and as you have shown in your article," a disapr' pointed , and' soured liiari, .and- it is just possiblo that misunderstandings—plus, ■ perhaps:, a little"'jealousy—for' each • was' iapt to''think himself ', the greatest' living authority;on' each to; riiisjudga theother. But ariyhow my compliments to 'Liber' oiiJiis' article.- May .lie livo lpng. : ' ; 'Many a . 'suffering'"sinner' iflnds-relief arid joy on Sunday'perusing his pleasant, paragraphs." " "

The Next "Everyman" Batch.' . So. many Nfew . are patrons of. Messrs'. Jseraes,' "Everyman's ,Libi^ry a '.V thatv a; few notes on ..tho next; of thirty-six volumes,' $rbe';''isußtish}!& shortly, will, I feel, sure, .-be ; Amongst the mostV-attractiVo. titles" ' I notico "Tho Oxford" ••Befonnere I *?j;*"'by Frederick Seebolim; Froudo's "Life of .Beacbrisliqld"Lyeil. l s, ."Antiquity of Man"; "Malthus on Population" (long .'out of i)rint)-.; and'Cobbett's.\'History of •the Protestant' .Reformation;"'' • Fiction tfill bo represented by a new translation of Turgeniev's.'"Liza," and a revised 'translation ; of. Dostoievsky's "Tho Idiot," Carole's "Essays," "Essays on the Study; ot Folk Songs," by. tho Countess Martinengo Cesaresco; and Hebbel's "Plays," .translated by . Dr. Allen, are other, volumes in the new batch;.. ..

The Walfarors' Library. Messrs. J. M. Dent and Co. announce, I notice, an' entirely new series, "The Wayfarer's Library,'' which is>intended to do for tho lighter field;.or literature that "Evofyman's Library?', is doing for the classics 'of all ages. Twelvevolumes aro to-be'issued every, month. Amongst the first issues I notice A. E. W. Mason's "Running Water," 11. G. 'Wells's "The AVheeJs. of Chance" (a capital bit of,light comedy), and De Vere Stacpoole's ' 'Blue, Lagoon Other novelists to be represented 'will . be: Stevenson; Conrad, C'onan Doyle, Ans-tey,-Hewlett, Hichens, Mrs. De la Pasture, and Mrs. Belloc Lowndes. Under the heading of "Humour," our old friend, |-"Q." is represented by his delightful "Troy Town," and uncisr Belles Lettres," I notice "Tho Letters of Dorothy Osborne,", edited by Judge Parry; Chestertoii|s "The Defendant"; and a new selection'of .essays by that enter-' taining .writer, G. W. E. Russell, of "Collections and Recollections" fame; sciiic of .Richard , Jefferies's charming "Nature Studies," and some too of Mr. Hilaire Belloc's essays. In shape, the volumes', of the "Wayfarers' Library" will bo a little deeper than the wellknown "Evoryman" books. The prieo will be a shilling net, which, of course, means fifteen pence in New Zealand.'

The Home University Library. Lovers of good and cheap, books have greatly appreciated the "earlier . issues of Messrs. William's and Nbrgate's admirable "Home University •.Library.'' Another new batch, the tenth, consisting. of fivo new volumes, was to bo puWished lato in Jahtiary, and will bo on sale in New Zealand very shortly. Mr.-. E. N. Bennett contributes' a' vol--111110 on "Problems of Village Life," and Professor, Pigou will deal with ''Unemployment." lii. "Prehistoric Britain" Dr.' Robert Muhro summarises the evidence of remains unearthed up to the recent finding of the Pitsdown Skull ;■ Professor Vuiogradolt, of Oxford,'. 'tinder'' tjio title ""Common Sense in Lav/," explains tho elementary principles of jurisprudence; and Professor Moore, of Harvard,-'Jtraces tho origin ■ and growth of- "The Literature of .tiic Old; -'JJestameut."- '= These books will bring tho list of the "Homo University Library" up to oighty-five volumes.

Liber's Noto Book. ! .H. G. "Wells will shortly publish, through Oassell's, a new volume of essays, under.the general title of "An englishman Looks at tho World." •Amongst his leading topics arc:"'Tho Common-sense of Warfare," "Divorce," Iho Coming of- Aviation," "The COll- - Novel," "Will the Empire i Vi. c UHdowmeiit or AlotliorW v nd ideal'.Citizen." Mr. ■ , , s , J'tcrary.industry is only equalled by his amazing versatility..

Amongst coming additions to Mr. John Murray's "Questions of the Day Series" is "The English Law. System " a Sketch of Its Historical Evolution, 'in its Bearing upon National' Wealth and National Welfare.. The author is Mr. J. A. 11; Marriott, who last year wrote several articles on the- laud question in the "Fortnightly lteview."

'Str. Nornian Angell, .author. of '.'Tho Great Illusion," is still ■. hammering away , against war. .A new' work from his ; pen, "Tho. Foundations'/- of International Polity," j,s announced .'..by ;Heinemaniis. The whole-ease scMoitii

iti Mr. Angell's first and most- notable book is -to-be mure fully expounded and restated in the light- of later events.

That industrious, if often slipshod and inaccurate, writer, 3lr. Foster Fra;ser, lias-written another book of travel, '.'Tho_ Amazing Argentine," -in which ho describes a trip from Buenos Ayres to the Andes, and from Tucunian, in.the north to Bahia Blanca in the south. "Tarryings in Timbuctoo," "Half-hours with the Hottentots," "Saiinterings in Siam" will no doubt follow in due course."

Malcolm Ross's new book, "Climbing in New Zealand," is announced for early publication by Edward Arnold. The illustartions will bo-a specially attrac-tiv6-.featuro of a book which is sure to be'of ! great interest to all New Zcalauders.

Amongst Miicmillan's spring announcements'l notice "The Wilds of Maoriland," by Dr. J. Macintosh Bell, who, it will bo remembered, was for some five or six years director, of tho New Zealand Geological Survey. Mr Dell made a long stay 011 "the Coast of the South Island, and devoted special attention 'to the Franz Josef Glacier and surrounding district.

Still more Napoleonana'. Mr. Loraino -Petri;, who has already produced four stout volumes 011 Napoleon's career, now announces a fifth, to be published shortly by Mr. John Lane. The titlo'is "Napoleon at Bay," the author dealing specially with the Emperor's two. months' : war with -the armies', of Bohemia . and Silesia in Champagho, after the disastrous campaign, in .' Germany. Those, highly specialised, "period" studies of Napoleon's genius-and'ambition arc all very well for'students and readers who have amplo leisure, but personally I can get all I care to learn about-Na-poleon from Dr. - Holland - Boss's justly esteemed "Lil'c of/Napoleon,"a. cheaper edition of ivhich,. in one volume, .has, ft may be .rioted,' recently .been published ;by: Messrs. George.Bell and Sons. "

"H. 6. Wolls's new: novel, "Tie World Set' Free,"'now running as a serial in ''The' English Review,", is to be published in book form by Macmillan's, in May. other -now. novels I notice '.'Eoding Rectory," by Archibald Marshall, whose .quite'Trollope-like study of English .counjty.. society life, "The Hononr of tho Clintons," has never, in my opinion, been so fully appreciated as its undoubted cleverness and charm deserve.

Arnold -Bennetts long-awaited sequel to "Clayhanger" and "Hilda Lessways", is' not',-, after all, '.to: appear, uiitil the spring of 1915. .. A' rumour has • boen current in London, literary circles that Sir. Bennett had'experienced so much difficulty in handling his puppets that at ono .time ho was very liearly abandoning the task of completing the trilogy: This, however, tho novelist has. uenied.

There-are stories in Mr. RuJVieyelt's autobiography.' /One . relies to .the; barefaced; way in which a certain", type...of, Congressman,, favours the, "graft'.' system: . . •'ln one session of the Legisla-ture,-on one occasion, a member had a Bill: to money, wi th obvious' impropriety, for the .• relief' of'some m'isoreaiit whom, he styled, "one of the. honest yeomanry of the. State." '.' When I' explained ; to, him that it,was' clearly nhcohs'ti- " '' tutional, .he: answered; "Me/friend, the Constitution don't touch littlo " things like that,", and then' added, , with an ingratiatine' smile.. "Anv.never, allow, the Coiistitu■tiqn to come 'between'friends."

i y®h^sSketcli s -'''qf ? ila"nilSfT I4;colitatnSpbrt'r'aSts'of 'Oscar .Wildo's' younser son," Vyvian B. and; hi> : wife, . forMiss. Violet vGraigie,', a popular Londbii actress,: whoso fatlier L jwas" • tlie' late Colonel Edmund W. Craigio.'of tho Dragoon'"Guards. / 'Thereris • a distinct rosemblanco to' poor Wilde in liis ' son's faca. "■' ; . •

America- possesses a periodical entitled' "The Unpopular Review," and London is ab'oiit to witness the.Appearance of;a licw, venture, called "The Candid Quarterly Review." The promoter , is Mr. Thomas Gibson Bowles, the famous "Tommy" . Bowles, .formerly editbr-pro-.nmtor'of "Vanity Fair," and au'ex-M.P.—on-both sides. ■

....Englishr.papcrs. received .'this week record' thedeath' of M'ss Henrietta Keddie,. better known as "Sarah Tytler," wlio passed, sway tho.second week-in January at;tho. ripe old-age of •.eightyseven. Sarah Tytler-was, for manv years a regular contributor to' "C-iood Words," what time the-l?te Dr. Norman M'Leod was the editor of that magazine. Curiously enough her first literary hit was inado with a short story which appeared in "C-ornbill" 'during ■ Leslie .Stephens's editorship. It described the experiences of a good Scots meenister,_ who; when on a visit- to London, was induced to visit a theatre, and of • the conipleto chance in th'A Rov. Adam,Cameron's point of view as .to tho, stage ' which resulted therefrom.