LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 64, 8 December 1917, Page 13

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Kentishman (Foxton).—No cheap edition yet of Clement Snorter's "George Borrow and His Circle," or Herbert Jenkins's "Life of Georgo Borrow." To Ward Lock's edition (Is. 6d.J of Sorrow's "Lavengro," the late Theodore Watts Dunton contributed a short biographical sketch. Sir Rider Haggard. Sir Henry Hidcr Haggard's gift of toresting correspondence connected therewith to tho City of Norwich is not, I hope, a sign that the veteran novelist intends to lay down his pon. Only the other night "Liber" sat up to what was for him "an ungodly hour" reading Sir Rider Haggard's last novel, 'Finished," in which our old friend Allan Quartermaiii makes a very welcome reappearance. It is thirty years or so since the present writor read aloud to an entranced audience in the dormitory of ft now famous New Zealand school tho thrilling story, "Kmg_ Solomon's Mines," and yet here is tho author giving us a yarn almost sis fresh and as vigorously written as anythin" we have had from his pen. ■■ It was the immense popularity of Stevenson's "Treasure Island" which gave Mr Haggard, as he was then, the idea of writing "King Solomon's Minos, and brought him with a bound into public favour. Some of the later novels I did not much care for-I plead guilty, for instance, to never having finished "She " But when Allan Quartormain is on the stage I am still one of the novelist's faithful admirers.

Stray Leaves.

Messrs. S. and W. Mackay iorward me a prospectus, with sample pages, of a new book of Scots verse, entitled "Singin , to the Weans," by Uobin Blochaim, of Wellington, which has just been published by tho famous Scots firm of Alexandor Gardner, Mr. Blochairn, who is the author of other books of verse, "A Ploughman s Dream," "Love's Weird," etc., pleads that "all Scots mothers should never forget to give their bairns a guid "roundin' in the Doric. ... As they grow older and learn to appreciate tho beauties of expression, verbal and musical, in the lays of Hame and Bairiitime, such songs will form lor them a heritage of sweetest memories wherever they may wander awa in the years that are to be." I hope to give a review of Mr. Blochairn's verses in an early issue. Any good work on volcanic action has a special interest for New Zealanders. It is more than four years sinco Dr. Tempest Anderson, the great author on earthquakes, passed away, and fourteen since his great work, •Volcanic Studies in Many Lands, was published. Mr. John Murray now announces that Dr. Bonney, who worked n'ith Dr. Anderson, has prepared for the press a second series of volcanic studies, illustrated by a great number of photographs taken by Dr. Anderson. A new story, "The Snake Bite," by Robert Hic'hens, is commenced in Cassell's "Storyteller" for October (per S' and W.'Mackay). The scene is Biskra, a familiar background to those who remembor "Tho Garden of Allah. The first instalment is full of promise. In addition to *liort stones by such well practised hands as Olive Wadsloy, Warwick Deeping, John Foster l'raser, Tiolnnd Pertreo, and Captain Shaw, there is a further instalment of J. A. Curwood's fine romance of Canadian lifo, "Son of Kasan." and a long complete novel, "The Millionaire. Burglar,

by Harold M'Grath. "The Storytcllor" syocialises in good, vrholesomn fiction, anil well mruntains its excellent reputation in that direction.

Copies of tho September and O(tr,ber numbers of "Tin; Windsor Magazine" (Ward, Lock and Co.), arc to hand from Messrs. AVhitcombe and Tombs. "The Windsor" is astonishingly gcuid yaluo for tho mndest sevonponee ivhieh is its price. Tim illustrated articles on various phases of tho war are excellent. A scrips of "Pictures from Shakespeare" " includes many wellknown presentments of Shakespearean scones by English and Continental artists: "the Windsor" has always made a strong feature of its short stories, and 1 welcome n new series of West African adventures by TApjT Wilince. William Caine, R. G. Moberley. Halliwell Sutcliffc, and Harold Jiindlnss are also rom-esnnted. With a number of "Tho Windsor" to browse through a railway journey should present no fear of ennui.

A really good handbook on modern water-colour painting luis long been wanted. Mr. Romilly Feddon, n wellknown English artist, now in khaki, lias spoilt some of "his leisure in writing n book entitled "Modern Watercolour," which should make clearer to students and tho general public tho principles of his art. Tho little vo'liimo, which Mr. Murray is to publish, ip suitably illustrated by reproductions after Mr'. Sargent, Mr. D. Y. Cameron, Mr. Genge Clausen, tho author, mid others. Under the title. "Tho Third , Year in tho Little House," Mr. nnd Mrs. Egerton Castle have written a sequel to their very, jolly book, "A Little House in War Time."

Mr. Gilbert K. Chesterton's "Short History of England," which was to bo published in September, should present some highly original historical theories.

Gilbert Frankan, author of what is probably the finest poetical parody over written, "One of Us," written in tho motro of "Don Juan," is now coming forward as a'novelist. His first story, "The Woman of ihe Horiron: A T!o----niancc of Niuctecn-Tliirtcrai," is the story of a poet and .satirist for cvor seeking the woman of his dreams. Ono of tho funniest stories "Liber" can remember reading was Peter iJluiidcll's "Love Among tho Coco Nuts," the scene of which was the Malay States. Mr. Blundell's earlier novel, "Oh, Mr. Tiidgood," was almost equally good. Tho author of these very humorous books has now published another story, entitled "Wanted, a Tortoise Shell'," in which again the background is a British possession in the tropics.

The, "Times" Library Supplement, gives a long and appreciative review of Mr. E. V. Lucas's new book, "A. Boswell of Bagdad: Wth Diversions," which, besides its title piece, an account of a humorist and philosopher whoso effusions could, on occasion, be astonishingly modern, contains a number of scattered sketches and essays, which have appeared in "Punch" and "The Sphere."