LIBER'S NOTEBOOK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 127, 22 February 1919, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTEBOOK

The Christmas "Bookman." .' Tho Christmns "Bookman" (Hodder and-Stoughtonj is wonderful value for a -modesthalf-crown.-- For the elaborate and ■well-written survey and appreciation of the soldier -poets of the ivar, which is contributed-by Mr. A. St. John Adcook, and which, so I am glad to see, tho publishers are. also -issuing- in a separate ■library.edition,-tho -'.Christinas' "Book:man" is well worth buying and carefully preserving. Australasia, Canada, and South Africa, as -well as Great Britain, furnish, some of the names' included in •Mr. Adcock's fine- article, which is liber-ally-illustrated by excellent ' portraits. Tho art supplements include a frontispiece in colour by Arthur Hackham and ■a-portfolio of pictures, also in colour, by Edmund Dulac. Besides the smaller por-

traits-.which- accompany. Jtr. Adcock's article are several fiife photogravure portraits of tho'khaki poets. -'Mr. - J. ' S. Fletcher; the novelist and writer on Yorkshire topography, figures in the ."Bookman's Gallery," arid the illustrated supplements dealing with the principal books of the autumn and winter publishing season will be found full of useful information for booldovers. Altogether an excellent number. Art. in Australia.

From Messrs. -Angus and Robertson comes a copy of the - latest issue, the fifth, of that now well established and adinirablo- publication, "Art in 'Australia," to which, I am glad to hear, New Zealand subscribers arc becoming increasingly numerous. . Lionel Lindsay contributes a well-written appreciation of the artistic work and organising capacity of Mr. liei'ii'ard Hall, Director of the Melbourne Art. Gallery; Norman Lindsay has an enthusiastic appreciation of the delicate arl; '' of.. Eliot Gruner (ri New .Zea-land-bom artist) ;• Bertram Stevens discusses the worlc of Hiiyley Lever, Will Ashton, arid the late Hugh -fiamsay; and Norman Carter writes.'on an Australian artist, Rupert Bunny, whose work is so highly 'esteemed' in both Pnris and .Loudon. ' Tlio etchings of 11. van Haalte, tho water-colours of H. M.-J. Macnally, the Cohnell collection of old and artistic furniture recently presented to the Mel-' bouniß Gallery,, are amongst the subjects dealt with by other writers. The illustrations, of which many are in colour, could not be bettered in (heir artistic execution, either in -America or liurope. Fhi'Br colour work;than that shown. in the reproduction of Bernard Hall's exquisite figure studies, or in Eliot Gruner's "Morning Light," I have never seen in "The Studio." In colour printing: Australia has now, it is clear, nothing to fear from comparison with the best Ameri.cnn nud French printing. Maciiallv's .water-colour "Sunshine and Shadow".'shows the young Victorian to be quite the equal, in his ability to "represent fine cloud effects, of men .-like A. W." Hicli, Hussell Flint; and other-members of the New English Art Club. The late Phillips Fox, a Victor-ian-born artist, who lived_ and studied for -many years in Paris, is represented by-a study of the nude, which is scarcely so successful as his fine figure study, "Tho Muslin Dress," 1 which recalls tire work of John La very, anil : W. Hardy Wilson's two .water-colours—one, _"I'ic-

lori Cottage," so suggestive of. Nicholson's and Sickeft.'s work—will be greatly admired. Wise, collectors of art publications will 'not neglect to secure copies of "Art,'.in Australia." The issues are limited, and' the earlier numbers are now eagerly' sought after at advanced prices. "To-Day." - Mr. llolbrook Jackson, who, a couple | of years ago, converted the well-known weekly, "To-Day" (formerly "T.'lVs Weekly"), into a monthly magazine, must be congratulated 'upon the attention lie paji-s in his tastefully produced format ■ resembles that of

llio American "Chap Book," now, I fancy,, defunct—lo poetry and belles lettros." A rccont issue contained a very striking'new poem, "Jezreel," by Thomas Hardy, and in the latest issue I find pels of verses by John Drinkwater and \V. H. Davics, wlbilst amongst the essayists. represented *aro A. Cjutton Brock (who at one time wrote such excellent .front-page articles for the "Times 1 literary Supplement"). Eden Philpotts, Arthur AVaugh, and Francis Bickley. New Zealand will be specially interested in Mr. Jackson's own contribution to the December number. This deals with the work, so varied, so epigrammatic, so espenlially original in point of view and thoughtful sugprestiveness. of Samuel Butler. The author of "Erewhon"—and tlio inimitable "Note Books"—has long come into'his own, but Mr." Jackson's article, so it<.soems to me, is the best summary of his work arid most intelligent survey of his life that we have yet had in "tho narrow confines of a brief essay. "To-Day" costs but sixpence (English price)] but, it contains more true and really good literature than many a more pretentious periodical, When the world' settles down a little from the war t rrmnil, Mr. Jackson's modest but excellent little ningnzino will, I trust.. \fl'-unie moro substantial proportions. Meanwhile, I warmly commend it to the attention of my readers. Stray Leaves. Tlio price of Colonel Weston's inter-

esting "book," "Tlireo Years' it'll "the New Zealatulers," was iwrongly - .given, last week as 7s. (id. The .Jwok is bring sold in IS'ew Zealand at 6s.' The "Kound Table" fur December is an exceptionally interesting number of this valuable review, and merits a much more .extended notice of its contents than my space limits this week will permit. Tlio League of Nations scheme, industrial reconstruct inn, and the financial and economic future are. amongst tho leading subjects discussed. There is a and valuably informative article on present-day. - iiroblevis in Canada, and an articlo -on the political unrest ,in South Africa should not be overlooked. In the New Zealand letter, I,aboiir's attitude to national service, the coal crisis, and problems of reconstruction are.ably dealt with. One result of the war, and the paper shortage, is that stocks (if.,standard editions have been so seriously depleted that it has become increasingly, ilillicult to make up sets of the works of certain very popular authors. A_ friend of' mine, who ordered a set of Kipling books —the (Is. pre-war edition, of which the publishers usually keep a fiil'l. . stockhas been waiting patiently , over ..since July, 1!)17, to get a full set, - Seven or eight titles were still "out of print" when the Inst English mail left London. ... A book I-intend to buy, if it be not 100 highly priced—ilncniillan's books, in war time at least, are too often beyond attainment by New Zealand bookmen -of modest purse-is a volume of "Essays oil l'oniantic Literature," by the late Hon. George Wyndham, whose delightful study of - Shakespeare's sonnets I have now long had on my shelves. -Amongst the essays collected is one on that grand old Elizabethan book North's- - ."Plutarch." If 1 -remember aright, tlio.-Into Mr. Wyndham wroto tha-pss.'iy -in question for -the beautifully-printed edition of "Plutarch" which is. included in that grand set of books ".The Tudor Translations," of which the late W. E. llen|ey ivas the general editor. Two other essays in tho collection deal with "Bonsord and La Plbiade" and Sir Walter- Scott. That accomplished literary critic, Mr. Charles Whibley, is to contribute ail introduction to the Wyndham Ixiok, - How are the mighty - fallen! , Time was when' a new novel by Marie Corelli was quite an event—for. some people—ill the publishing world.' li.ut .to-day- slio eecnis to .hove lost all her old vogue.

A new book by Sir Arthur Conaii Doyle, entitled "Danger and-; Other Stories," has been published - by-John Murray.

In Miss E. F. Egari's account of the Mesopotaniian .campaign—"The War in the Cradle of the' World'—tlio author, an American lady journalist,-tells us that amongst tho "river boats" requisitioned for the Tigris expedition were craft from tho Nile,-the-Indus, the Irrawaddy, and the Thames. Eleven of the . Thames "penny steamers" - started for tho Persian Gulf, but only, five survived tlio voyage. Thames barges; too, found th'cir way to the. Tigris, towed out. all that, long way by. tug-boats.- Miss. Egan, 1 notice, repeats and vouches for the truth of the story that General - Mtiudo 'Was poisoned by an agent. Of the Hun.' His last words were."Carry on.-". .

It is now quite six months 6incc Mr. Compton -■ M'Keiysie's latest story, - "Tho Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlelt" (readers of the see." d volume of "Sinister ■ Street" will have a lively recollection of that--extraordinary yoiing lady) was.published, and. yet no' copy'ofthe novel has ; reached the ■Wellington bookshops. Meanwhile, : however; stocks of the veriest rubbish in the way of fiction reach the - Dominion ill - various "colonial libraries." Apparently the gentlemen who act-as literary'"tasters" in London for the Australasian book trade imagine that no on'o out her 6 wants anything better than the latest productions of William Le Queux, -Fergus Hume, etc., etc., etc. A grave mistake.

A new long poem by John Masefield is promised shortly, together with two plays by tho same author, to; bo issued in tho same volume.

In his recently 'published • book, "Tory Democracy," Lord Henry Dcritiiick says a good word, I notice, for tlio miicliabused Castlerengh. He proves that Castlcrcagh and Wellington worked through the peace negotiations after the Napoleonic wars for the permanent pcace of tho world, and opposed any vindictive and short-sighted treatment of France. "It is not our business;" said Castlerengh, "to collcct trophies, but', to bring back the world'to.peaceful habits." Also, at'tho Congress he warmly advocated the abolition of the slave trade.

In private life that popular writer, Sax Rolimer, whose mysterious 'Chinese -sorcerer, magician, and criminal, Dr. Fu Manchu, has become as popular - 'ijs was once the late Guy Doothby's Dr. Nikola, is, it appears, aii Irishman, whose real namo is Arthur. Sarslield Ward. Mr. Ward is said to be a firm believer in the doctrino of reincarnation, which plays,so large a part in his latest story, "Tlio' Orchard of Tears." Ho was for some- time at the front, but was invalided out of'the Army shortly before the end of the war.