LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 164, 5 April 1919, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Arnold Bennett is • popularly credited with .being Mr. H.' G. Wells's only real rival in literary productivity, but that agreeable gossipper, "A Man of Kent" (otherwise Sir William Eoberteon iN'icol), writing 'in - "The [ British Weekly," declares'that he recently met n novelist of some mark "who assured him that 25 days''work sufficed him for a full-length novel.'' This, to use a' current colloquialism, is surely "some going." I. always enjoy a new Joseph Lincoln story, and I am, therefore, glad to receive a publisher's notice of 'a new Cape yarn, "Shavings." Mr.'Lincoln will be remembered «us the .author of N those 'very jolly books, "Captain .Warren's Wards'" and "The Postmaster," ' Judging by a portrait in a.-.recent.American magazine, Air. Lincoln' is. a.\ ■ jolly as his hooks. How is it, I-wonder, that; so many American novelists are round-faced, fat, gemnl-looking follows,, whilst, most, of their' British confreres are. on the loan side, and have brows too palpably sickled o'er," ' etc. ? A "best' seller 5, would, of course, bo expected to wear a smiling countenance, but even among the younger and,' as yet, second-rate novelists the jolly smiling plik seems to be tho rule rather than tho exception. . George Moore's privately published book A Storv - Teller's Holiday," was issued in an edition of 1200 copies, now exhausted; Tho'original price w-as two guineas, but copies are now en hausse, as the French say, and tho book, which by tho way, is strongly Rabelaisian in. lone, will probably become vory scarce. A new .book, entitled "Avowals'," is announced- by Mr. Moore. It will deal with some of his 1 youthful Parisian experiences, when he was a friend and artistic follower of Manet, Degas, Pissaro and the older Impressionists. As to his early experiences in Paris Mr. Moore told 6omo .very curious stories in that impudent but amusing book. "Tho Confessions of a Young Man," and again in tho moro recently published "Memoirs of My Dead Life,"- and that incomparable, Honsseau-like bit of autobiography, "Hail, and Farewell." ■•-.•'

The lady who. writes under tho nom do.plume of Marjorio Bowen, but whose real name is. Gabriollo Margaret- Camp, bell, has married again. Her first husband, Signor Zefferino Costanza, whom .she. married in .1912, died three years ago. Her second husband is Captain Arthur L. Long, of a London regiment. Mnrjorie Bowen, to use' a pen namo which Oins appeared on the title page of so many excellent historical romances -those dealing with William of Orange and the' history of tho Netherlands are, I shall always consider, • her best—has now turned-her-attention to tho French revolutionary period. Hor'latest story is entitled "Tho Third Estate."

In "Ambassador Morgenthau's. Story"' the author, formerly American Ambassador to tho Porte, tells how tho Kaiser's representative at Stamboul once de-clared-to him, in a burst of confidence, that victorious . Germany would compel France to surrender the whole of her art treasures and uay an indemnity of five 'thousand millions sterling! That is all! Unfortunately for tho Hun, his chicken-counting—in advance—was- never realised, and-the treasures of tho Lonvro and the Luxemburg are "still in Paris.'. By tho : way, in a' recent issue of "The Sphere" are reproductions of three benutiful pastel portraits by the great French court painter La Tour, who was a native of St. Quentin. Tho pictures were stolen the lluu occupation of the town, but by this time, I expect steps have been taken to compel their restitution. Failing the return' of these nnd other art treasures bv the Hun jhieves, the-Allics might do."well to make, a.selecfion-.from-'the splendid- art gallery at Berlin. The French do" not hanker after any, German pictures, for German art has always been, of very mediocre -quality. But there is a rich store of Rubens, Bembrandts, Vandycks, and. other old masters in- the Kaiser's ox-capital, which, if the Spartaeusians havo not destroyed them by this time,, might well-be transferred "to Pans, and London.

SOME RECENT FICTION. "Camilla," ''■■;,' It is some considerable time now since wn had a new story from the. clever pen which fiavo-us that fine novel "The Magnetic North," but 'Miss Elizabeth flobnis's latest effort, "Camilla" (Hodder and-Stoughton), was very well ' worth waiting for. It will, I think, be voted not only.tliebestslory. wo', have yet had from this author, but ..ono of the best American novels we have had for some timq (past. It is. a singularly impres-sive-mid convincing study of feminine psychology, and- is rich 'in well-drawn character sketches. , Tho • heroine, a young, and beautiful woman, marries, while still almost a girl,- a.wcalthy, easygoing sensualist, Lcroy. Trerilholme. When ■ tho inevitable crash 1 comes and a divorce, ,'s . gained she sails for Europe, .-and' goes to live in a typical English country house, the owners of which are: of-the "county society" class. At .Nuncarrow Camilla passes as 'a widow, and as such is loved by nnd learns to love a'fine young Englishman. Michael Nunearrow. In the Nuncarrow milieu divorce is regarded as a grave stigma, and yet, so Miss Robins would have us believe—personally I do not shore that ' belief—the quite open intrigue >>f Michael's sister, Alico St. Amunt, who is impudently, and, to-.toll the truth, charmingly • defiant of societv's verdict, with her nobleman I friend. Lord Harbprough, is tacitly accepted.and, ignored'. Camilla finds herself in' a'state of mental conflict, and eventually decides upon a visit to her native coutury, where, in Florida and Now York, she finds distraction from her. problem. But now comes on the scene again her husband that was, by this time • tired of the' brazen beauty whom he had preferred to his' wife. ■ Leroy is struck by his ex-wife's beauty, and she. on her side, finds herself carried away by tender memories. It looks as if tho English lover is to be discarded and u reshuffling of matrimonial cards is to bring divorced husband and wife together again. But Leroy, a thorough bounder at heart, discloses himself in his old and real character as a moro vulgar sensualist, and Nuncarrow arriving most opportunely, in search of his fair one, the story closes with the strongest of hints at a trans-At-lantic union of handsiuid hearts. Where Miss Robins is peculiarly successful nnd convincing is in her unveiling, as it were, of the innermost and most complicated workings of her heroine's soul. I am not altogether in-love, with the construction of tho story, for it is told, as it were, backwards, tho earlier lifo of the heroine being laid bare in a series of soliloquies on the return trip to America, but the vigour- and charm of the style are undeniable. For an American., novelist, Miss Robins seems io me, with the ono exception previously noted, to bo exceptionally successful in her. pictures of the English environment of the heroine. In its many agreeable scmihumorous' touches, jthe story subtly suggests comparisons between English and American viewpoints on life, ways, manners, and customs. "Camilla" is a very fine story, and 1 warmly commend it to. tho attention of my readers.

The Latest Rex Beach. For some time our old friend. Hex Bench deserted the Alaska of his earlier yiuiis, giving us instead stories of NewYork life, of life in the Panama Canal zone, of adventures in Mexico, etc. Once again, however,-the call of.the Alaskan wilds has come to him and been heard and heeded. The result is a fine fullblooded story of the early dayo of the Kohl discoveries on the Klondyke. In "The Winds of Chance" (Hodder and Stousthton), Mr. Beach shows that his hnnd has lost none of.its old .cunning. Alike in plot, incident, and character drawing, his new story is well worthy'of tho pen to which we owe "Tho-Barrier," 'The,'' Spoilers," "The Iron Trail," and other oxcellent yarns by which the author

won a weil-deserved popularity. His latest hero, a, young gold-seeker, finds himself at D.yea, just as the Canadian Government has decreed that before the foodless Yukon territory can be entered from., the- States the miner-emi-grant must have n thuusmid dollars and a ton of. provisions. For solo capital Pierce Phillips' has a hundred and thirty-live dollars, and of this a clever thimble-rigger speedily relieves him. He then sets out to cam' his "stake" by becoming a pucker for hire over the awful Chilkoot Trail, and eventually wins' through. The story rapidly develops a series, of tensely dramatic scenes, the hero being accused'of highway robbery.' but being' saved from' the' vigilantes by a jolly Canadian-French voyageur, Toleon Doret, and a mysterious countess.. Two other ladies play prominent parts in tho drama, one, a simple, beautiful girl, a veritable wild rose'in the Yukon wilderness; tho other, the equally beautiful and virtuous daughter of a professional gambler who uses her as.a decoy. Before tho hero wins tho fair Josephine, —and a fortune—he is fated to go. through a series of '• adventures ' and trials, but his .unfailing pluck, plus tho useful friendship of tho self-sacrificing. 'Poleon, pull him through, 'and the story ends as all good lovers of the sentimental would fain have it conclude. There is a fine compelling entrain in the story, which should vastly please all the-an-, thor's old admirers and win him many new ones. "David Blaize.and the Blue Door." In "David Blnizo nnd the Blue Door" (Hoddor.nnd Stoughton), Mr. 'B. F, Benson, again,, ns in his earlier story, "David Blnize," challenges comnsrison with -Lewis .Carroll. The little lad who finds_ so many marvels behind .the "bine door" of his dreams would havo made, an admirable companion for the never-to-be-forgotten "Alice in 'Wonderland." Mr. Benson displays a.most laudable ingenuity in imagining, quaint -adventures for his youthful hero, one .of his most successful conceits being the introduction of "Noah's Arlc," -with its human and ajvimal occupants. A comparison of .birds with the modern airmen is also very cleverly done, and- there, is morn than one episode in tho. Ixiok which should bo enjoyed just ns much by adults who delight in tho fantastic as by the juveniles, for whose entertainment, so I presume, the story is primarily intended. Mr. J. Ford, whose t-levor work ns nn illustrator'pf fairy stories is so well known to all. who remember' the' long series of Christmas Iwoks Compiled for children by t]ie late Mr. Andrew Lang, provides a liberal supply of well-drawn pictures. An excellent gift book for young people. . "Beatrice Ashleinh."

Miss F. 13. Mills Young, .whoso excellent stories of South African life have been so. popular, takes Us, in her latest novel, "Beatrice' Ashlcigh" (Tlodder and Stoughton), to. an English village (in Sussex, I should say), where her heroine, a young lady who has been brought up in a non-religious household, goes to live, on tho death of. her fat hor,- with a clergyman uncle. She takes rather kindly on tho whole to such -duties as district visiting, and is loved by a curate cousin, a very good fellow, and admired by .the villagers. Sho has been in love with 1 another gentleman, but unfortunately an'awkward ep.isodo' in his "past" sets'- up what, is for Beatrice- an impassable barrage, and for « time the odds are in favour of the curate. ..But tho -var comes, and the. first lover, is severely wniindoiV and shockingly .disflgurwl.. His past is at once forgotten and forgiven, and the' soldier-lover triumph's, '.tlhe. Btory is richer in character than incident, .and Miss Young's portraits of the family circle at the.vicarage are sharnly- drawn, '.tho vicar's wife being quite up to Ihe Trollopo standard. There is, too, a littlo group of villagers, who must surelv have been drawn from real lifo originals. Anhmsaiitrendablo story, but lacking that line dramatic quality .which wo have come to expect in the author's work. "The Azure Rose." "The.Azurb l?ose," by Reginald Wright Kauftmau ii\ Werner Laurie), is a vory different story from.that grim and grimy ■novel, "Daughters'of ishiiiael;" iii which Mr. lvauft'nmn gave such n 'realistic aiid, to toll tho, truth,, horrible description of the White Slavo.traffic as 'that' abominable business.'is,, or was, carried, on in "New. York. In his new story, Mr. Kauflman tnkes us to Paris, Paris of tho "nvo gauche," of the Quurtior Latin, una introduces us to a young American artist who befriends nnd is, befriended by a lovely young lady., who .speaks it mysterious tongue, afterwards identified ns Basque. The young lady- suddenlv vanishes, but leaves a trail which :'th'e. .enamoured young' American follows up until he finds himself" at a, romantic old castlo in the Basque provinces of Spain. Here he is entertained by the. lady's brother, who, his family priile being suddenly, offended, forces the artist to fight a duel. .All this, is very .-unpromising for tho young lover's chances of marrying -his inamorata,.but by a sudden twist of the fictional kaleidoscope so clcv'erly handled by tho author, the haughty young .nobleman becomes tho: artist's warmest champion and friend, and tho end—well, it is everything that two such ardent young lr.|crs, to say. nothing of tho readers of tho story, could desire. A very pretty story, in which both the Parisian nnd Basque backgrounds .are full of. fresh arid picturesque local colour.