BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 306, 14 September 1918, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

"The Oxford Book of Australasian veree."

flioso fine anthologies "The Oxford Book ot English .Verse" and "The Oxford Book of French Verse" have now a worthy comrade for the book shelves of lovers of good, poetry in "The Oxford Book of Australasian Verse" chosen by Walter Murdoch (London • Humphrey Milford, for the Oxford University Press). Mr. Murdoch's object lias been to make a fairly le'presentative collection from the mass of verse written by Australians and New-Zea-landers' during the last -hundred years or so-arranged, roughly, in chronolon-i-' cal order, beginning with Wentwortii, whose vigorous rhetoric has an eighteenth century ring in it. and ending on a very distinct twentieth century note. On-the whole, Mr. Murdoch must rainy be congratulated upon his selection. It is true that no anthology in. whicU the work of Henry Lawson, Bauy," Patterson, Bareroft Boako, •»« fl. Ogilvie, and Leon Gellcrt are not can be considered completely satisfactory, but the fault is not that of the editor, who has evidently had to opntoud with copyright difficulties. Nevertheless, lovers of good poetry have reason to thank Mr. Murdoch for having brought together, in so handy and delightful a form, so many old favourites. The editor may havo. been overgenerous with regard to certain authors. To give seven pages to Mr. Bernard O'Dowd, virile and provocatively thoughtful as is the Victorian poet, and live to Mr. Arthur Adams, and to omit Mr. W. P. Reevcs's exquisitely beautiful "Passing of the Forest" and the. nobly sonorous sonnet on- "Egmont" may seem to imply a' certain lack, of proportion. On the whole, however, New Zealand is very fairly treated. Amongst other New Zealanders here represented are Misses B. E. Baughan. Mary Colb'orne-Veel, whose "Song of. the.Trees," I am delighted to seo included, Jessie Mackay, Isabel-Peacocke,'and Mrs. A. G. Wilson, and Messrs. Arthur Adams, J. 0. Andersen, Hubert Church. W. P. Reeves, David M. Moss, ]). M'Kee Wright, AVill. Lawson, and the lato Thomas Bracken, whose "Not Understood" might well,'by the way, have accompanied the less known "Pax Vobiscu'm." Amongst the Australians are. such old favourites as Adam Lindsay Gordon. Henry Kendal, Marcus Ciarke, Edwin Brady, Edward'. Dyson, and -Mary Gillmoro, whose :pathetically-beanti!tul domestic idyll, "Marri'd," , is , in its simplicity and delicacy one of tlio'. most charming poems ever- written, by an Australian. James is well represented by that exquisite little poem, "Wan-derers,"-but I'wish Mr. Murdoch had included others of the Tasmania)! writer's poems which deal with classical subjects. The three M'C'raos, Dorothy, Gordon j and Hugh, aro all here, and I welcome;, tho extracts—too few— from Mr. Hall's 'stately and dignified verse:;' Mies , Agnes Storriq's whimsically delightful "Twenty Gal- 1 lons of Sleep"; glad to see, bsnn irduded, rand Miss Louisa Mack's delicately, beautiful - tribute to the fascination of Sydnoy should gain many new admirers. That sturdy voteran Dr. Pientoul is represented' by a fine patriotic poem, "Australia," and New Zealanders will naturally be pleased to ■seo that Mr. Murdoch has also selected the splendid poem in which the Australian writer sings "the glories of-tho Southern, Alps. The editor informs us, in a briek' and rnodest prefaco, thnt his book''.jit "mainly intended for readers' who aro 'interested in Australia and New Zealand; but who aro as yet ■Unacquainted with the literature "of these countries.'?. Both in the Motherland and , in .America] in -which latter la.nd tho -simple directness which is a fading, characteristic of so much Australasian poetry will be specially 'appreciated;; "Tlio Oxford Book of AustralasianTootry" should be very popular at tho present time,' when Australian and New. Zealand soldiers ,flp so gallantly fighting in tho Great Cause. .Tho typography and binding of the volume well maintain the high reputation of the Oxford Press. An imlex of authors andan index of first lines are useful (features of a'very charming little volume. (Price, 7s. 6d.) "From Bapaume to Passohendaolo." In his second and latest book on the British campaign on the Western front. "From' Bapaume to Passchendaele (Win. Heincniann, per S. and W. Mackay),. the wcll-knowji war correspondent, Mr. Philip Gibbs, continues his story of the war as ho has witnessed it in progress. Those of us who read the daily war news as it is published in the cablegrams—ami who does iiot?-T-kuow full well how vividly picturesque are Mr. Gibbs's word paintings of the dramatio and tragic stones which :ho has been privileged to witness. In the cablegrams, however, we ha~c the "condensed Gibbs." The reports which appear in the English newspapers for which Mr. Gibbs acts as correspondent are hero reproduced i in full. . They are brilliant pieces of journalism, and wo havo it on the authority of more than ono British general that they are never over-coloured, and give, as far as possible, a wonderfuljy accurate survey of the scenes described. The special interest and value of the book lies in the fact that it describes in detail the struggle which took .place, in the spring and early summer of last year, in a region where to-day tile British Army is again eugaged. Mr. Gibbs first describes the retreat from the Somme, the abandonment of Grandcourt, tho splendid deeds of the Gordons at Butto de W'arlen.court, the entrance of the Australians into Tiapaume, and : the rescue of Feronne. Since those early months of 1917, how much has happened, in this region! The Bapaume and Peronnc then captured, or rescued, Jiave been retaken by the enemy, and yet again, tho last few weeks ' have witnessed the triumphal return of tho British and French troops. To the battles 'of Arras and Messinos two .chapters are devoted, tho concluding section of the book being devoted to the battles in Flanders—at Hollubooke, Langemarck, Lens, Armentiercs, and at Passchendaele— special attention being given to the superb gallantry displayed by the Canadians at Lens. Mr. Gibbs also devotes a ; long chapter to a description of the country as left in the enemy's rear. 1 specially commend this particular section of the book 1 to the attention of those, if such there still bo amongst us, who hug tho delusion to their souls that an honourable peace with the enemy is possible without his being completely and finally defeated in the field. It is a tragic and awful story which Mr. Gibbs has to tell in tbis particular chapter. It is told in no deliberately sensational or hysterical stylo; it is a plain, unvsirashed . narrative of facts. And how ugly, how horrible some, of those facts arc I will not attempt to prove by extracts from this grim and gruesome story of German treachery', vindictive cruelty, ami seemingly, at least, studied and deliberate savajjery. It is only whei

one reads otf such episodes as thpso chronicled under the title '.'Tho Abandoned Country," or, again, in "The Old Women of Tincourfc," that ono is able to gauge the.'frightful sufferings of the l'Vench country folk, and can realise adequately the real reason for that patient, pertinacious spirit of determination which dictates the French national resolution to see the dreadful thing through to the bitter end. Mr. Gibbs pays an unstinted, nay, enthusiastic, tribute to the valour of the Australians and New Zealanders at Mes•sines, at Polygon Wood, at Passchendaele, and elsewhere. But, indeed, be has nothing -but praise—as indeed how could he?—for the unfailing pluck and gallantry of all the troops under the British command. . Cockney soldiers, Irishmen—from the South ai:d from Ulster alike —North Country men, men of the Midlands, the Southern and Eastern counties, not forgetting the valiant Scots, all vied with each other in gallantly bearing themselves in the good caus'e. Such a book as this of Mr. Gibbs's invites quotation on almost every page. But quotation once commenced the difficulty would be to know where to stop. By all means buy and read what is ono of the most vividly dramatic and fascinating narratives for which the war has yet been responsible. The maps, which are numerous, are mostly on a large scale. Not only are they useful in following Mr. Gibbs's descriptions of last year's fighting, but they are again most valuable in elucir | dating the progress of the new campaign. (Price 7s. 6d.) Nelson's "history of the War," Nelson's "History of the War," by John Buchiin (Nelson and Sons; per Whitcombe and Tombs), lias now reached its nineteenth volume. Mr. Bucban gives a most useful survey not only of the lighting oil, tlio Western front during tho spring of 1917 (the- same .period, or a portion of it, as covered in Mr. Gibbs's -book), but he describes also the struggle as its early last year in so widely-separated zones as Mesopotamia, Syria, and the Iklkaiis. Also, Mr. Buchan traces the Italian campaign from the fall of Gorizia until tho midsunimer of 39.17, and details tlio progress of the Russian Beyolution: Mr. Buchan's narrative is written in the same sedate, almost austere, style.which characterised the earlier volumes of his invaluable work. Ho makes no effort-to lio picturesque; he records facts, occasionally, but not' often, risking a theory, and even less frequently an actual prediction. As in tho preceding volumes the maps and diagrams aro numerous and useful, and a. valuable feature is the collection in the appendices of the more important official dispatches. (Price 25.). "British Artists at the Front." From, the offices of "Country Life," London, comes Part IV. of an interesting publication entitled "British Artists at the Front." Each part k devoted, to the work of a.separate artist, paintings and drawings by Mr. Eric liennington being reproduced in the number tinder-notice. Mr. 'Kennington iias a broad, vigorous style, which is ni admirable keeping with the subjects of liis pictures. Many of these latter represent iife intlie trenches; others aro single figure ■ studies.. .I'lr. Kennington generally employs the oil medium, but some of the drawings have apparently been dono in pastel and coloured chalks. Tho dramatic realism of some of tho drawings is strikingly effective. Many wero executed whilst the artist , was_ actually under fire. Thus, the letter-' press accompanying a drawing called "Tho Cup Bearer" runs as follows:— "The entrance to a dug-out in one of our support trenches on the Somme battlefield of March, 1918. The gaunt Ganymede is an infantryman bringing in two cups' of tea for the ; artist and another officer. Thcro wns some activity at tho time,' and enemy shells falling on tho doorof the roof of the dugout made the smoko in the doorway vibrato and sway." A rather gruesome picture is tlwt entitled "A Has Patient,", and in other drawings Liie miseries of life in flooded trenclits and dug-outs arc realistically depicted.. Messrs. Campbell Dodgtoii and 0. S. Montague contributo introductions to tlio various-plates. Previous issues' of "British Artists at the Front" linvo represented the work of Mr, K. 11. W: Ncvinson, Sir Julian Lavery, and Mr. Paul Nash.

Stray Leaves. Alec AVnugh, whoso "Luom of Youth" mailo such a hit and created such a storm of discussion, is a prisoner of war in Germany. Ho has followed up his lirsfe novel by a book of verse, entitled "Resentment." The July "Bookman'' (lioddcr and Stougbtou) has a special article by Ellis Roberts on the novels of Leonard Merrick. Merrick, it appears, spent three years with a travelling theatrical company before he tried his hand at fiction. His first novel was rejected by C'hatto and Wiiidus, and accepted by Bentleys. Its successor, curiously enough, was accepted by Qhatto, after having failed to'find favour-with the publishers of his first book. In the same issue of '-'Tho Bookman" is an article by George Sampson on "Three Essayists.". Revieivs of many interesting now books aro also given. A review of Jlr. Mcrrick's fine story, "Conrad in Quest of His Youth," will appear in these columns next week. John Galsworthy's new book is entitled "Five Tales." It is time we had. another full-lcngtlr novel from Air. Galsworthy. His latest long novel, "The Freolands," was not a great success. To my mind, none of Mr. Galsworthy's later works reaches the high standard'set in thosn two.remarkable novels, "The Man of Property" and "The Country. House." I wonder why Mr. Locke, or liis publisher, Mr. John Lane, should American readers the preference? "The Red Planet" was, it may be remembered, published in New York sonio three months before tho,book appeared in London, and I now notice .that its successor, "The Koflgh Road," lias already been published in the States, whilst as yet there is no mention of it in the English papers. Like "The Red Planet" it is a war story. The boro is a young gentleman of means, a dilettante, who lives in cultured case, and when tho war breaks out is writing a history of wallpapers! Ho gets a whito feather sent to him, and afterwards accepts a commission. "Chucked out" of the training ciinip for apparently incurable incomprtencn, lie determines to commit suicide, but is saved by. a former tutor, once ;i man solfdestined for tlio Church, but spoiled by whisky for that vocation, anil now a full private in tlio British Army. Back into the Army, tbis time us a private, tfous the boro, and then the real 'story begins. The cxtutor is described as a thoroughly Lockian character, one of tho ciiief joys of the book. When the hero remarks that "Dante's inferno was child's play to modern war." the bibulous but erudite. M'Phuil replies, "Danto bad 'no more imagination than a Free Kirk precentor in Kirkcudbright." Judging by-American reviews, the new Locke is good stud', i Ono New York journal, indeed, says

it is as good as "The Bcl<ivo'.( Vagabond." The hitler would not bo 1 Liber's" pick as Locke's best, ltiitber would I vote for "The Morul.s of Marcus Ordcyno," or, in a dilTeiviit genre, "Clementina" or "Septimus." Tho late William do Morgan, whoso "Joseph Vance," "Alice lor Short," and "Somehow Good," I long iigo acquired for "keeps," but for whose later stories 1 did not care nearly so much, lias, it appears, left a posthumous novel, "The Old Madhouse," which is shortly to be published on both sides of tho Atlantic. . ■ ,»■' Amongst grim reminders'of wlmttlie gentln Hun is capable of,' aiii illustration is given in Arthur Stanley Beggs's book "With Tbreo Armies," of a five-year-old French boy, whose left hand was cut off by a Gorman soldier When, after tbewar, wo arc told it is our duty to forget and forgive, illustrations of this land will bo specially interesting—awl- useful. ' H. L. Mencken is a clever American literary critic and essayist, whose two bni&s, "A Hook of Prefaces" and '"Damn I A. Book of Calumny," havti had a big sale. Mencken is specially severe upon the attitude of the average 'wealth-worshipping American towards art, music, and literature. Here.is a sample growl ai:d jibn combined:—' A man labours and fumes for- a ivliolo year to write- ;i aynnphoiiy in G minor. He puts enormous diligence into it, and much talent, and maybe no little downright genius. . U draws his blood and wrings liis soul.' Ho dies in it that he may liyn again. . . . Nevertheless, the final value in the open market, of the world ie a great deal less tlmn thnt of a fur overcoat, half a llollE-lioyce automobile, or uhandful of authentic hair from the whiskers of Henry Wordsworth Longfellow. , Sir Arthur QuilkT Couch ("I)-"), whoso latest love story, "Foe Farrell," lias, 1 notice, disappointed some of Hip Tvnglisk reviewers, is publishing a volume of "Studies in Literature" wiih the Cambridge- University Press. Three essays are included on "Some Seventeenth Century -Poets"; two on "Patriotism in English Literature"; and others oil. "The Poetry of George Meredith"; "The Poetry of Thomas Hardy," "The Horatiaii Model in English Verse," "The Terms 'Classical, and 'Romantic,'" "Charles Itcacle, , ' originally written for "The Times" Literary Supplement on the centenary of l<cade's birth; "Swinburne/' reprinted from the "I'ortnightly lievicw," and "Coleridge" and "Matthew Arnold," which have already "appeared as introductions in Hie "World's Classics" series. By the way, 1 recently spent nn evening very pleasantly with a collection of essays by "Q," contributed to the "Pall .Mnll Magazine," under the heading "from a Coritisli Window." I would strongly recommend "From a Cornish Window" its ;i dipping.or fimlside book. it. is full of sound literary criticism—with special attention to poetry—and is rich in little persoual touches in which there is some delightful humour of that gently ironic kind which "Q's" admirers know so well. Bnroii von lYeylag-Loringlioven's much l discussed book, "Deductions. from llifl World War," a review of which appeared in these columns a few months ago,' has been, followed by a new- work from the same pen, an English translation of which, under I lie title "A Nation Trained iii Anus, or a Jlilitia?" is shortly to be published. ' A correspondent,, "Australian," writes to "The Times".Literary Supplement apparently advocating the publi>

cation of books in paper covers. He. says, inter .alia, that liis experience was that, till! covers never caino off tho "colonial" (paper-backed) editions. Well, this was far from' being "Liber's" experience, and, as a matter of fact, of reewit years the paper-covered "coloniiil" lia.i been. rarely t seen', in a New Zealand bookshop. Now that tho prime cost of' binding cloth has gone Tip, like everything else, .nnper-' coyeml novels may -be temporarily' popular. But, they-will have to be published at a substantial reduction on tho price of the oloth-covered volumes, or. tho public will have none of them:' ■•/niscralian" says his experience was thud) ''the .bmlus practically .never broke, nor did the leaves get loose." All 1 can say is that lie .was extremely, fortunate. If a book, even a novel; be worth buying at all, it is worth buying in a cloth cover. 'L'he Oxford University Press is publishing a series of pamphlets on the much-discussed "League of Nations." Tho series is started by Sir Edward Grey's pamphlet (now on sale in New Zealand), and other contributors to tho ■set will be Sir Frederick Pollock ("Tho League of Nations'and tho Coining ljiilo of Law"): Professor Pollard ("The League of Nations in History"); Mr. Arthur Henderson. M.P. ("Tho League of Nations and Labour"); and Professor Gilbert Murray'C'The League of Nations and the Democratic Idea"). 'Major:lan' Hay Beith, author of "The First Hundred Thousand" and "Carrying On," who has returned to , Fiiigland from America, had an amusing. experience on his war lecture tour in the States last winter when he entered a. barber's shop in a small town to have his hair cut. "Stranger in town, sir?" +he barber asked. The major replied that he was, and asked, "Is there anything 'going on here to-night?" The bariier replied, "There's a war lecture hy an English lighter named Hay, but if you go you'll have to stand, for every seat in the hall is'sold out." "Really now,'" said Major Beifch, "provoking,, isn't it? It's always my beastly luck to have to stand when that chap Hay lectures 1

Mr. J. S. Flotclier's latest story, "The Amaranth Club" (AVar-l. Lock and Co.; per Whitcombe and Tombs), will afford' a rich treat For lovers of tlij sensational. A fashionable gam-, Ming clnb, i-uii by >i cosmopolitan cdvci'lureiy is made use of by :<. cio"er German spy as a menus of' getting_ a liold over men in prominent ojitcial positions—or their lady friends—and eventually aii important Admiralty dispatch is stolen. An amateur Sherlock Holmes, who is anxious to discover the secret of the mysterious Amaranth Club'and the veal identity of its proprietor, dies suddenly. A friend of the dead maiii, also interested in amateur criminal investigation, is convinced that bis chum has been poisoned. The ingenuity with, which he sheets home the (.'rime, to. the. scoundrelly tturtheloiny "and succeeds in and securing the capture of. the • German spy would do credit, to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A subsidiary sentimental- interest affords a pleasant contrast' to the. sensational incidents. .