LIBER'S NOTE-BOOK
[Modern Essays., Tor some time - past the 1 editorial columns' of "The Times" have contained as a "third leader" a daily essay on some strictly,, non-political subject. Many of these essays well deserved to be rescued from their surroundings and preserved in more permanent form than of a daily newspaper. A selection, entitled "Modern Essays," has now been published by Air. Edward Arnold, and furnished with au introduction—in reality one of the best essays in the book—by .Dr. J. W. Mackail. The essays cover a wide range ;of subject's,- and,, as they are not'all by the same hand, tiey exhibit a corresponding variety of style, although, 1 would hazard the opinion, their authors may not compose a very numerous band. Speaking generally, the essays are characterised by a very' chqrming urbanity. Their huniour, when the subject calls for humorous rather than strictly philosophic treatment, is largely ironic. They are rarely "literary/® ■ They , reflect, s as a rule, a kindly, thoughtful, and eminently toler, ant outlook on life, but upon occasion the essayist can' be delightfully satirical. The whole book teems with quotable pas-. Sages, but I can spare space for one ex." tract only, from.the.essay entitled "Briggishiiess." Hero is' how our essayist re< Bards.the prig intellectual:
The intelleotual prig has never been very common in England, for he aroused little interest or resentment. More women, per: haps; than men ore'intellectual prigs, and their, foible is often extreme exactitude in trifles.: They are at the'-meroy of intel--1 lectual fashions, and they get their fashJons, from Germany. They will condemn a' great".';scholar, ho .is old; because of a misprint Which someone else has found in one of his books. They are also wonderfully, Quick' -in adopting now theories, and will think meanly of anyone who ' betray ignorance .of a new ■theory which they never heard of a week ago. In this they resemble the aesthetic ;prfg, who is far more common and conspicuous. For him taste is a religion, and a very dogmatic one.' But the articles of his creed, and indeed his very divinities, arc always dha-ngihg. His chief deisire is ito ,;keep ahead • of the other prigs, to ' worship ■' the oldest Italian primitive or.the newest French symbolist; and nothing pleases him so much as to lind another prig still worshipping the primitives of lost- year,, or not aware that the impressionists / axe no' .'longer to be worshipped. He is as much concerned about his own salvation as the religious prig of tho past, and ho' is equally sure that very few .will be-saved beside himself. He regards tho great mass -of - mankind as aesthetically, lost,-and will , have' no dealings'with. them. He judges people inexorably, by tho aspect of, their, drawing-rooms.' If these, are middle Victoriflin,' he takes no further interest in them; Thus he lives, in a. little, world of his own, just as much a's'any spinster in a country town. Some 'of the essays are .."Nature stiidies."_ One, entitled "Life 'in .the Wind," is a veritable masterpiece .of ;yerbal I' : -can warmly* commend this' book to'"lovers of really good' liters., turc;' It is full of "-wise and beautiful thoughts, expressed at times with a cer. bal . grace rarely; found in.. periodical literature. (N. 2. price, 65.) Degenerate Germany. ~ ~.."Degenerate.'Germany," by Henry, de Halsalle - (T;'':Werner • Lriurie), • ha^' been blessed -by throe' personages so' highly ■placed as Lords Halsbuiy, Eosebery • and Beresford. Lord liosebery describes the book as a "powerful...arraignment, of the Prussian social system',"- and Lord Halsbury "shudders at seeing/the picture, so. vividly, drawn; of, a-whole nation so cori .rupted andi cofrupting." - Lord Beresford hopes the j book-will'. have an'extensive pnolicationi and, so "open ~the' eyes of 'the civilised world'to' the brutalities.and bestial practices -ot'- ; so-'called: iiiltur in Germany." Mr. : De. H-alsalle , certainly does ■not mince!;.His''.words'7in liis- exposure oi the gross immoralitjv.ir'religidn, and wide-,, spread :• crime' for which" modern, Germany has 'became notorious. Ugly asarealt'these pictures of .Gemau immoralitv'and sociai corruption;'.'they are, after ..all,' explanatory, 'in some djßßree,.; <o£ tho -wc&fully warped, and morally-perverted German ■■ mind of -to-day. The earlier chapters, j descriptive of what • may called. the historical evolution, of. latter-day Hun brutality,; national :and' individual, arc distinctly interesting and valuable." (N.Z price,;.. 2s./6d.)- . : , The Red Cross Story Book.
There is good value alike in i the literary and artistic contents of "The TimeS" Red Cross Story, published for "The Times" Red Cross: Fund by Hodder and Stoughton (Wellington:. S. and W. Mackay). Special interest attaches to this "publication in.thatall the stories in thtf book 'ai's contributed .by' novelists now J serving :in >;Hi's ' Majesty's Forces, including A. C/.W.-.Mason, Oliver; Onions, W. B:' Maxwellj'ilartin Swayne, lan Hay, Cosmo Hamilton, Warwick Deeping, . Austin .Nojrman, Charles <3. D. Roberts, and Sir Qu'iUer. Couch. Our, old friend 'Q' is, I notice, serving, with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Irifaitry) so, though he be far away from the land of Tre, Pol, and Pen, about which ho has written so many fascinating stories, he is still, I ■hope,-within' hearing of hia. much-loved west. c&untry spjech. (N.Z. price, 2s. Gd.) A. Beautitul War Book. The ...illustration's, of. course, are the rtpst,. attractive - feature in "Eclnihnd Duftc's Picture Book," published for the . '•'Daily' Tekjjtaph" French' Red Cross Fund (London' Committee), by Hodder • aud.. St6ughtoiv : (\Velln]gto)i: fj. and "W. fMncliay);--:..-The'-stories illustrated by Mr. ;Dulac,..;.with';;an..tlwt quaintly fanciful . iriiagination and- quiet , charm for which, tnis artist's . work is, famous, include "titles from ..the "Arabian Rights," fairyby -Hans Andersen ahd others, the delightful' old-world 'idyll, "Aucassin and •Nicolotte;" several;old French songs and thq good 'old carol, '\The Three Kiugs of .Orient." Mr. Dulac's Eastern studies are 'specially charming. A more delightful picture .book than-this could not well be. imagined.' - The handsome quarto is wonderfully good' value at is. 6d (N Z plice).
Stray Loaves/ - ' From Samp.-on, Low and Co., London, through George. Robertson and Co., of Melbourne, I ijave. this week received a copy "of Mr. Frederic'. Coleman's ' book, "From .Moris to. Ypros'with-.T-renfeh.'' A review will appear next week;
. I have to thank; a Napier correspondent for a copy; of the "Hawke's Bay Herald," containing 'a report of what appears to havo been a. most interesting 'paper by D. 'A. Strachan, Esq., read at the Shakespeare-' Tercentenary celebrations by the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Association.
Apropos to the Shakespeare Tercentenary, it seems a pity that iour local literary -societieci—if of. such institu-. tions" there are still any left in this ; Philistine city' of ours—have allowed the occasionoto pass by without holding somo such meeting as that held at Napier.'The recent Shakespeare Festival at the Town Hall was a happy idea, carried out with most laudable spirit and great success. Bat its interest was"chiefly dramatic and spectacular. Outside Sir, John. Findlay's address, admirable in its way, but cut out after' the. first night, there was nothing •to celebrate the literary side of Shakespeare's work. Is it tou late to suggest that a. Shakeapeare Evening might bo organised by, say, the Wellington Philosophical Society, at which papers on the literary side of Shakespeare's genius might -be. read and discussed? Thera are, I know, quite a number of well-read and well-informed Shakespearean students in the City, and were such a function as I have suggested properly and energetically organised, a very pleasant and profitable evening's entertainment would.be the result.
Mr. Heinoraann's oomplete English edition of Dostoevsky's novels continues to grow. The latost volume is entitled "A Raw Youth." Miss Constance Garnett must be a most industrious translator, for it is hardly three months ago Biuco
her version of that grim but fine story, "The House of the Dead," was published. Routleclges anrtouuce for immediate publication a Tennyson Dictionary by Arthur E. Baker, whgsa chief.object has been to identify and describe tho multitudinous characters, places,' names, etc., both fictitious and historical, created or utilised by the poet. Gilbert Cannan's latest story, "Three Pretty Men," has Manchester, "which the novelist calls "Thrigsby," as its background. The period is . early and midVictorian. I nopß to give a : review .of the story next week.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2770, 13 May 1916, Page 11
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1,329LIBER'S NOTE-BOOK Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2770, 13 May 1916, Page 11
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