BOOKS & AUTHORS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2414, 20 March 1915, Page 4

BOOKS & AUTHORS

(By Liber.) BOOKS OF THE DAY. TWO BOOKS OF VERSE. To a wide circle of friends Mr. John M'Glashan, the well-known Wellington musician, has long been known as a writer of clover and graceful • verso. Mr. M'Gliisliau norf introduces his muso to a., lamer public by the issue of a little volume entitled "Verses and .Meditations"-: .A Collection of Songs/ Poems, Philosophical Verse, and Cantatas (Wellington; •; Hugh' Douglas). Many of. tho poems have been con- , tributed to such .well-known Scottish journals 'as "The . l'edplo's Friend," "Tba Glasgow. Wefekly Herald," and "The People's Journal.','-. Others, have appeared in various New Zealand newspapers. All were certainly wellworthy of republication in more, permanent form. A large number-of them'are wrjten in "gude braid Scots," the pthbr "handling his mother'tongue- with a combination of ease," strength, . and <>racG which"compels' the 'reader's admiration. . .In .both theme and. form the poems display-a wide range,, but personally I' prefer Mr. M'Glashan when he., treats of homely subjects, in a ply. Jyricai form.Sir Robert. .Stout;' who contributes a brief-, but thoughtful, and 1 very kindly- Foreword,, or' appreciation, specially commends a--"series 'sonnets.Mn'which,'as : he puts it, "the position-of v the' poet w.:that*'of- theNeoHegelian' School ■ ;and; they-crystallise' philosophical.•- .position." :?With all. due; respect id' Sir. Robert's personal, predilection,' V -I:- fancy I.most /readers of Mi\ ;M'-Glaslian|s' book-.will-, agreo with me.Vthat philosophy j aud'.-metaphyßics, whether. Hegelian (old or. new) or- other-wise,-find 1 best ;and most suitable'"expression in ,prose. '■ • For my ;owri' part) I find most.^'delight-ih those of Mr-; M'Glashan's. verses ;which deal with- the spcirts , 'and escapades . of. youth, With honiely virtues, ; joys;.. and sorrows'.' Hero our poet "exhibits command of both pathos and humour;: -his versos doing credit , alike to"-his heart, and his titerary;, ability.Variety ,i 6 charming, and.-' many varied'.interests-, in "life - find expression- in the verses. ■ • Bowlers, will enjoy Mr. M'Glashan'a versified memories : of- famous-. .totirnam'ent-s)" patrtetio Scofs will revel in . such: poems as-"The Baimer/ of- Scptlah'di'' : "lo the Memory of' Robert ..Burns'(a .'really' excellent effort on. a well-worn-theme);.-, and .'others ofsimilarcharacter'.' ../."Liber's" -. own vote,'however, -goes .to tho .purely^pastorarpoems", -The, Seasons," in- whicn is exemplified-.the author's ardent love: of Nature.-, and in-which , is struck a note, of:: true;- lyricism;l. regret that- rthe e*igencieS""<>f sp'abe : -forbid- quotation; The ,volume'-is one which should find place;'oil ; the shelves" of all 'good, booknien and lovers' of verse.' " "Bush :^dn'gg : .'an^.jOverSw v'.Voiqes'' (John Larig):;is. the'.' title "of .a,' volume "of verse" Biy" A. Safroni-Middleton.',! ; The author .was, for ".some, jears ati.rsea,,ibut Settled; down , ; for- a; time. : in" .Australia as-a 1 professional:-violinist,' later: on'-re-siding' in : turn- iti .Tonga, Fiji, aiid< .Tahiti, >and; finally 'in/ Samoa, where he Occupied, his." . posing" marches'' a'nd : "'other-, . military, musibi ' severaP of his compositions" having.;' become. 1 faVouritejs. :.with". regimental bands, That.'Mr;.:'Middleton .is a, poet o£. nq is edt.br the'-cputents-of .the/volume under notice..; His subject^ ; .3r^:taken -main(V; ;-from-,' scenes; and,,-incidents '-.in the backblooks ' '.of.;- Australia; or "in." those 'South Sea ,Islands' he -knows - so-nvell; Many-ofrttfem" 'exhibit "a dramatic force, a ; ''yividit.y.. : ahd"''"directhess,. which must strongly appeal to their readers;'in all there, of the-author's ardent appreciation.of .the ..beauties- oLJNature, the;.fascinatip.n.'6f ;: -the outpaths of , the world, and the mysteries they enfold. Specially,'successful "are the verses which "deal' with'-the .palm-clad islets of Southern -Pacific,; -and. their... dusky, simple-lived,' 1 and interesting antsr . .In of tho poems there is a happy, touch ;pf 'unforced humour, ..and iii others, thfe; pathoj, eveil' the . tragedy of life, finds! vividly "picturesque delineation. . Nowhere, is :to:.be found''that side of morbid' pessimism' whicji- disfigures the work of so many Australian poets of the so-called "Bulletin School." (Price 4s ).