SOME RECENT FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 33

SOME RECENT FICTION.

THE APOSTLES OF "KULTUR." < "Chronicles of a German Town,"'by the author of "Marcia in Germany," ,is the title of a. recent addition to Messrs. Methuen's excellent Shilling Library. The story, when origin-, ally published, under the title of "Lotteries of Circumstanco," was .reviewed at length in these columns, and commented up<m as a clever, if, as "Liber" then considered it, a somewhat spiteful picture of German social life. Today, the story of the two Gubbenmeyer girls and their lovers will be read with renewed and special interest, in that it gives so- detailed, and amusing a description of the life led by the conceited, and often disgustingly' vicious young officers of that army whose "God-direct-ed mission"—for further particulars consult the Kaiser's speeches!—it has recently been to murder helpless noncombatants, and brutally to ill-treat women and children, all in the glorious cause of Teuton "Kultur." No doubt Marcia's humour is here and tliero not a little ill-natured, but in these days, in a novel descriptive of German life, few readers , will be inclined to regard this as a fault. SOME GOOD IRISH STORIES.

It was a happy thought on the part of Mr. Edward Arnold to issue a cheap popular edition (N.Z. price Is. 3d.) of that excellent collection of Irish memories

entitled "Seventy Years of Irish Life,"in which, now twenty years or so ago, the late Mr. W. It. Le Fanu gave the world so many amusing stories and reminiscences. The author was, I may say, a, younger brother of that onco well-known Irish novelist, Mr., Joseph. Sheridan Le Fanu, whose "Uncle Silas" I well remember as having read, and' shuddered over, in my youth, and whose, name wiJl always be cherished by Irish:; men as that of the author of t-lio stirr-; ing ballad entitled "Sliauius O'Brien."' Of Mr. AV. It. Lo Fanu's reminiscences it need only be said that they covers many interesting and exciting spisodes in Irish political history ;uid social , life between IS-30 and 1890, many Irishmen of fame, far beyond their native country, figuring in the witty and amusing pages of the' book. Amongst others whoso names crop up in Mr, Le Fanu's pages are Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Lord Cloncurr.v, Archbishop Whateloy, Lever and Lover, Daniel O'Connell, and Smith O'Brien and Isaao Butt, as well as not a few Saxon celebrities, including Thackeray and Anthony Trollope. There is capital value for fiftoenpcnce in this interesting and entertaining lifctlo volume. PRURIENCE AND PIFFLE. "The Secret Flat," by Gertio do S. Wentworth-James (P. T. Worner' Laurie), has for its heroine a poular lady pianist and song composer, who marries an Anglicised German, and soon finds she has made a sad, mistake. Turning for consolation to a divinely ', handsome young artist, as big a ■ black-' guard as her husband, she again finds her affections have been misplaced, for the artist is merely feigning love in order to entrap the woman into a compromising situation, upon which the German husband can found a case for divorce. Eventually, when the war has ruined the heroine, neither her playing • nor her songs being any lonpe'r in demand;' an old and honest admirer comes ■to the rescue. Tho Story reeks with unpleasant suggestion, both the heroin® and two : of the leading male characters being. shamelessly sensual.' Why the publishers should have deemed it desirable to issue an "overeas edition"; of such-a rubbishy and vulgar production I fail to understand. FOR THE YOUNG FOLK. . Mrs.' E. ; Everett-Green is well-knoim as a successful and popular writer, of stories specially intended for youthful perusal, and her _ latest effort, "The House on the Cliff" (Ward, Lock and Co.; per Whitconibo and Tombs), well maintains the usual high standard, of her work, best exemplified, perhaps,- in that; charming little story "Bruno and

Bimba." The four ohildren whose youth-" ful escapades, small troubles, -aiid : big joys are set forth so pleasantly in-".Tho - , House on the Cliff," should easily win ■the interest and affection, of. the young people for whom the story is intended.'