LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 122, 9 February 1918, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Stopford Brooke. A friend for whose knowledge of all that is best in English literature I have a profound respect has taken mo gently to task for having said that the late Stopford Brooke's only notable work was bis "Life and Letters of I l '. W. Robertson,'of Brighton." He reminds mo that lirooko's "History of Early English Literature" is still a recognised aiid valuable work, and that tens of thousands of readers owe their' first taste, for good English 'literature to Brooke's little "Primer of English Literature." Brooke also wrote studios of Milton and Tennyson, and his Shakespearean studies, "Teh Plays of Shakespeare," published in' 1907, _ is also a most suggestive and useful piece of criticism. By tho way, apropos of Brooke, it is not generally known that for some time he acted as chaplain to tho Princess Royal of England (tho then Crown Princess of Germany) at Berlin. He soon found the position uncongenial and returned to ' London. What, I wonder, might have" bocn_ the result had this Englishman; 'remained at Berlin a few year ? In the' recently published "Life and. Letters of Stopford Brooke," bv his relative,. Professor Jacks, I find the following interesting passage: "She (tho Crown Princess of Prussia) wants, an . English tutor fn? her boys to teach them, she said, liberal principles, the English Constitution, and the growth : of _ the nation, into free government." "Princes nowadays have no chance. Mr. Brooke," said the Kaiser's. English mother, "unloss they, are liberal." Who can say how far European history of the past twenty years might have been nffeated had Stopford Brooko remained "lis the Kaiser's English tutor? Tagore and His Poetry. . In his recently published "Reminiscences," Sir Rabiudranath Tagore, tho famous Indian poet, puts forward what seems to bo the theory that poetry should be like post-impressionisnli in ait. Ho says: . ;.

But does one write poetry to explain any matter? What is felt within.tho heart tries to 'find outside shape as a pcein. So when, after listening to a poem, anyone says ho has not understood, I feel nonplussed. If someone smolls a flowor and says ho doos not understand, the reply to him is: There is nothing to understand, it is only a scent. If he persists, saying: That I know, but what does it all mean? Tiiea one has either to change tho subject or make it more abstruse by saying that tho scent is the shape which the universal joy takes in tho flower.

Apropos to Tagore, a writer in '"the Nation" (upon which periodical, I notice, tho ban of non-export has now been raised) says there are two Tagores. One is tho Tngoro who writes in his native language, and whom wo know, to our delight, through his own translations. But there is, says "Tho Nation" critic, "a Tagore who imitates this Tagoro in English, and whom wo know to our sadness in the original. Wo have heard a great poet contend that there is as much difference between Tagore as a Bengali writer and Tagore as au English writer as thoro is between Milton as an English writer and Milton as a Latin writer. There is, wo believe, no example of a great author writing equally well in two language.?. Even Heine could not do it. Mr. Conrad line, in somo miraculous wny, been able to exchange one language for another; but, had ho not abandoned Polibh altogether, he would hardly have been able to writo "Tvnhoon" and "Heart of Darkness" in English. English, after all, is tho language of the central experiences of hi.; life. Ho is a voyager by genius, and ho made his voyages in English. Sir Ttabiiidranath Tagore is in a different case ontirelv. He is a Bengali .to the heart. His genius is not akin to tho English in anv important respeo l '- The English language cannot be said to have nrovided him with a spiritual borne. That is wny he cannot express himself, but can only imitate himself, in English.

Stray Leaves. Reviews of several novels are held over until next week. It is a pity that so many English publishers refuso to acknowledge tho fact that tho great majority of readors aro not wealthy people. A case in point is the republication, in collected form, of a number of the excellent biographical and literary papers contributed bv the late Miss Edith bichel to the "Times" Literary ■ Supplement They aro well worthy of permanent preservation, but to price tho volume ("New and Old" is thoj title) at half a <mine'a places it beyond the reach of a largo number of otherwise probab e Olivers. . , American diplomatists appear to he given a very free hand as regards the publication of books containing their reminiscences and comment upon latterday history as they have seen it m the making. Mr: Gerard's famous bookis one"case in point, and a second is Lewis Einstein's account of his experiences as American. Agent m Constantinople. Another- is to_ bo furnished by tho well-known American author, Di/Henryvan Dyke, who was for somo time United States Ambassador to Holland. Dr. van Dykes book, "Fighting for Peace," .which Hodder and Stoughton are publishing, is said to throw many new and curious sidelights on German intrigues at The Hagiie. • . . . ,' . , Mr. Thomas Hardy's new volume ot poems, "Moments of Vision, and Miscellaneous Verses," contains a varied collection of upwards of 10 pieces, old and new. Ono section is entitled "Poems of War and Patriotism." . What on earth is a "psycho love novel." This is the publishers' description of a new story, "World A\ jthout End," tho author of which, Walter E. Crisp, wrote a so-called, and, to my mind, very rubbishy, "completion" to Charles Dickens's unfinished novel, "The Mystery, of Edwin Drood." Lord.Brassoy has added yet another volume to the long series of books in which that famous yacht, the "Sunbeam," is prominent. Amongst tho many celebrities who have trodden the decks of the Sunbeam is tho now notorious Von Tirpitz. who "always Htioke in terms of cordial friendship for England"—the hypocrite!—and tlm Kaiser's sister, tho.ex-Queen of Greece, "dear Tino's" wife, who is quoted by Lord Brassey as saying, "Dear dear England!. How I love your land! How completely I feel at homo when I am here. There is no land I love so truly." The lady holds very different opinions to-day. Tho Sunhoam was handed over by her owner to the Government of India in 1916, and has been used as a hospital ship. In her forty years in Lord Brassey's service she logged, says her late owner, half a million miles. Dent's announce tho forthcoming addition to their invaluable Everyman's Library of a volume of selections from the works of William James, the great American Pragmatist. . . . .

There arc many beautiful lines in a little volume of vorso. "Fairies and Funliers," written, mainly at tho front, by an English officer, Captain Robert Graves. As, for example, the following little poem about a friend killed in France: Walking through trees to cool my heat and pain, I know that David's with me here again. All that is simple, happy, strong, lio is, I'lirewingly ] stroke Rough hark of the friendly oak. A brook goes babbling bv; the voice is his. Turf burns with pleasant smoke; I laugh at chaffinch and at All that is simple, happy, strong, lie is, Over the whole wood in a Utile while Breaks his slow smile. A recent addition to John Lano's useful scries of translations of Anatolo

France's works is "Tho Amethyst King" ("L'Anneau D'Amethyste"). It is not tho best of the great French writer's books, but it is by no means negligible. Students of seismology, and of these thero should ho many in a country so frequently visited by earthquakes as is New Zealand, should 'note the appearanco of a now book by the late Dr. Tempest Anderson, whoso first volumo of "Volcanic Studies," published fionio ten years ago, was so well received, Dr. Anderson was a Yorkshire medical practitioner, who visited volcanic regions all over tho world, liis now hook, includes studies of volcanic activity in many lands, including tho.Philippines, Samoa, tho Sandwich Islauds, Central America, and New Zealand. The literature of what has come to bo called the Tractarian Movement has received a notable addition in a volume of letters which passed between Newman, Keble, Pusey and others. How greatly beloved was the personal Newman by those who did not see eye to eyo with him on questions theological may be-seen by a letter written by Keble to Newman'when tho latter joined the Soman communion:—

My dearest Newman,—You Jjave been kind antl helpful to me in a way in which scarce anyone else could have been, and you aro so mixed up in my mind, with old ami dear and sacred thoughts', that I cannot well bear to part with you, most unworthy as I know myself to bo, and yet I cannot go alone; ■with you. I must clinfi to the belief that we are not really parted—you have taught mo so, and I 6carce think you can unleach . me—an/1, having relieved my mind with this little word, I will only say, God bless you and reward you a thousandfold (for) all your help in every way to mo, unworthy, and to so many others. May you have'peace where you aro g one, and'lielp us in some waylo pet peace; but somehow I scarce .think, it will bo in tho way of controversy. And 60, with somewhat of a fooling as if the Spring had been taken out of my year, I always, your affectionate and grateful,—J. Keble.

Local booklovers arc reminded that an exceptionally interesting collection of. books is to be offered for sale by auction by Betlnme and Co. on Wednesday next.. In addition to fine sets of Ruskin, Dickens (tho beautiful Gadshill edition), Cnrlyle, Burke, and a calf-bound set of Alison's -'History of Europe." there are sets of Dumas, G. Bernard Shaw. Ibsen, and that little known but brilliant American satirist, Ambrose Bierco. Many beautifully illustrated editions de luso are included, also books on Arctic and Antarctic exploration, including: an autographed' copy of Amundsen's "South Pole." Lovers of French literature will also find tnauy interesting items.—Advt. ■