LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 12

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

In Braid Scots. Robin Blochairn, the author of a little book of verse entitled "Singin' to the W:eans" (Paisley, Alexander Gardner; Wellington, S. and W. Mackay), is, I understand, a well-kuown Wellington resident. Though long absent from his native Scotland, Mr. Blochairn has a specially warm corner in his heart for the "braid Soots" of his Lowland birthplace. His poems do credit alike to his heart and to his literary ability. Hie author favours the purely lyrical form of verse, and his songs of the simple joys and small sorrows of home life, especially child life, possess a distinct fascination for all who can successfully grapple with the, to the Southron, somewhat difficult dialect in which they are written. They remind me very much of Mr.. Murray's "Hamewith" poems, which have achieved such widespread popularity. How well Mr. Blochairn can manage the Lowlands Scots, how simple and yet powerful is the apneal of his verse, may be eeen from the following extract (the first and last stanzas) from the poem entitled "When Oor Wee Jock's a Man":— Oh, life's u fa light, an' reugh's the road that puir folk ha'e to gang, Yet aye we've he'rt to lilt betimes fu' mony a cantis sang, For gin ye ha'e a wee bit hoose, a bairn an' wifio kin', It's worth the warsle o' it a\ an' cares yo dinna min'. The joy o' hame, the love o* wife, the blessin' of a bairn, Can heeze the he'rt o' ony ohiel gin he be aair forfairn; His etap has syne a soonder ring, an' langer is its span— A husband an' a faither baith, he feola himself a man. A smile steals owre the bairnie's face, his mither's he'rt °rows The lamp o' Hope within heir breist is wi" its brichtness lit; The sunny side o' life, in kaleidoscopio view,' Wells up again, sae clear and plain, an' cheers her he'rt anew; An' thus though whiles we fear the warst, we aye hope for the best, As through the haze the bonnie braes in cleedins gay are drest; An' sne well hope that, come what may, we'll lie'pr ha'e cause tn bun The years for speed in' on their ftioht, when oor wee Jock's a mas. Mr. Blochairn is especially successful in his lullaby verses, but spacelimits at this busy time of the year forbid further quotation. Lovers of good Scots verse should not fail to secure a copy of this interesting little book. (Price 3s. 6d.)

Stray Leaves. 'l'hoso who' have purchased the earlier volumes of the great "Life of Beaconsfield," which was commenced by the late Mr. Aloneypeiuiy, and has beeu continued by Mr. G. E. Buckle, will bo glad to know that the fifth and concluding volurno was to be published last monm by Jolm Murray. I wonder what will be the fate of this monumental work? Morley's "Life of Gladstone," which was published iu three volumes, has, it is true, never become a remainder, but new copies are frequently advertised at very low figures. The early life of Disraeli was full of romantic episodes, and I found Mr. Moneypenny's first two volumes very good reading. But as the work proceeds and Disraeli bccomes Beaconsfield, the political element overwhelms the personal touches. I gather from "The Bookman" that Miss Mary Marlowe, the well-known Australian actress, has written a novel, "Kangaroos in Kingsland." Miss Marlowe, who is. at present working in a jvar hospital in England; is the daughter of a Queensland pastoralist. Her grandfather, Sir John O'Shanassy, was three times Premier' of Victoria. Two of her uncles, Sir Jennings and tho Lion. Nicholas FitzGerald, were respectively Premier of New South Wales and Speaker of the Rouse of Representatives in Victoria. Sir Joseph Ward's eldest son is married to a first cousin of hers, and another first cousin, Brigadier-General FitzGerald, now on service in Egypt, married Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland. . Those who have read and enjoyed the wonderful natural history studies of Henri Fabre, the famous old French priest who devoted his life to entomology, will be glad to know that a posthumous work of Fibre's. "The Life of the Caterpillar," has now been nublished in an English edition. Writing to the "Times" Literary Supplement, Mr. Paget Toynbee promises ,a supplement to his wife's famous edition of Walpole's Letters. Mr. Toynbee tells us he has discovered some 250 letters or parts of letters, which have not hitherto been printed. We cannot have too much of Walpole s ever delightful ( gossip, and I am sorry to notice that the supplementary volume will only be published "when war conditions permit." Mrs. Croker'a Anglo-Indian novels are always very readable. The background of her latest story, '"lbe Road to Mandalay" (Cassells) is Burma, and in this gorgeous setting the author has placed a fascinating love-story. English papers strongly commend Marmaduke Pickthall's latest novel, "Knights of Araby," in which the author of that remarkable story, Said tho Fisherman," again makes ancient Islam live for us. One reviewer describes the story es ' 'The Arabian Nighte,' written by a realist. . . : You walk amongst these Muslims as a Muslim—not as a tourist with a pith helmet and a Cook's guide." A special feature in the Octobor "Bookman" (Hoilder and S'toughton) ib n long and valuable article, "Some Russian Novelists," by George Sampson, who gives a very interesting and useful summary of the work of fiuch leading Russian writers as Tolstoy, Turguenev, and Drostoevsky. Dr. James Moffatt reviows Wells's latest story, or theological deliverance, "The Soul of a Bishop"; and other good features are 1 articles on "French Verse and English i Versions" and Mr. Galsworthy's new I story, "Beyond"; and a character I sketch uf the youug Welsh writer, Car-

acloc Evans, tlie author of thoso remarkable studios of Wolsh life and character, "My People," and "Oapel Sion," A special illustrated supplement deals with the principal now books of the autumn season. Stephen M'Komm, wlio wrote that clever novel, "Soiiia," lias just published another story, "Ninoty-six Hours' Lcavo." It is a wild extravaganza, the hero, a youug English officer, a madcap fellow, personating an Italian prince for a joke, and thus becoming involved in a series of adventures aa curious as some of those which befall the heroes of Stevenson's "Now Arabian Nights." "Soma's" man}- admirers will he anxious to renow acquaintance with its author's new work. Early in October the English papers announced the death of J. Ashby Storry, in his day a writer of some repute. Sterry socially excelled in tha writings of light and graceful verße. He belonged to the sanio school of versifiers as the late Frederick Locker and Andrew Lang, the school which may he said to have begun with Praed, and of which Mr. Austin Dobson is the most famous survivor. Sterry'a vena was scarcely on so high a level as that of the poets just mentioned, but he wrote many dainty lyrics during the later Victorian period, when he was on the staff of the "Graphic." He was a hard-working jorunalist, and his "Bystander" weekly article in the "Graphic" often contained much whimsical I humour. . Besides his verse he jpublish- |

Ed two little books, "Tiny Travels and "CJucumber Chronicles," mainly descriptive of excursions inthe Thames Valley on the quiet, beauties of which he was most enthusiastic. Cussells are publishing a book of reminiscences by Lord Warwick, entitled "Memories of Sixty 1 ears.Lady Warwick is well known as ' the Socialist Countess;" but to tell the truth her husband has never been a very prominent person in the publio eye. His book, however, reveals him as a. shrewd observer of men and and a witty commentator on passing events.