BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 293, 6 September 1919, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

John Oxenham's Verse. Thn well-knoirn scries of little books of vorse. souiotimes patriotic, sumolimcs religious in strain; sometimes rotiecting Iwtk influences combined, which have como from tho pen of Mr. John Oxenham, luns received an addition in <i collection of poems entitled "All Clear! A Book of Verso Commemorutivo of the Great Pence" (London, Jlethuen and Co.). Tho author of "Bees in Amber," "Tho Vision Splendid," and that truly noble and most beautiful poem "A Little To Deuin." extracts from which were given in this journal at tho time tho verses in duestion woro first published, profaces his now book of poems by an interesting "Foreword." Jtr. Oxenham declares ita-'fundamental fact that "until thn world turns from its own ways to His. and from the depths of its 60ul desires Christ back into its Life," all its strivhies are in vain—"blind and futilo beatinfts' of the wind and ploughing of the sand." In the concluding stanzas of the title-Doem the author draws a glowins; picture of a world regenerated by recognition of God's grace towards men. I make the following quotation :— Man's common, aim waß for tho common good; The feuds were of tho past, And all mankind joined hands at last In common brotherhood. The city jungles withered'in the Light, And in .their placeß roso fit homes for moil, Where children no more died liko autumn '' flies, And there was room for all, and spacious life. ' .. • The smiling country-sides no longer served The favoured few, but bore their treasurestorcs •' , ,j ~ i. For all who chose, and golden harvest save Of health, and wealth, and happiness for all, And all good cheer. Tho old wasto places blossomed as the rose, And earth. bore plenteonsly for all men's needs, Life's orooked tljingo woro all at last . made.straight, And tho rough places plain. For .Christ, the Lord, the. Advocate. With God for man degenerate, Ifajd stripped him of His' high estate, Anil; filled with lovo iinp.lssionatc In mCrcy great had como again < To dwell: among the ■ sous of men. In the second section of tho book, "A Littlo Boot of Common Praise," the spiritual and derotional feeling of tho verse- is further emphasised, as wifeless tho - beautiful lines entitled simply "I Serve." belo\y quoted :-r----"I l serve I" And though I do no more than keep the : road,. • And hero and thcro help ono to bear his load— ... ' "I serve!" ','1 serve!" . As He once'served in lowliest estate, I seek no' more than Him to emulate— , "I serve!" "I sorvol" . ' And while my best to His concern I give No higher honour mine, tho while I live "1 servel" "I serve!" And when my little service done, I die, On hope of greater service I rely. . ', "I Serve!" 'Mr. Oxenham's verse must have given solace and comfort to many a war-weary and sorrow-laden soul durinj (ho four long, dreary years of conflict. This latest collection of his verso shows him onco again in his dual character of jjruo Datriot and dovontedly-minded Christen, and will no doubt bo as widely read and ns rightly esteemed as were its predecessors. .(Price, Is. lid.)

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK "Sylvia Scarlett." Tho leading Wellington booksellers have now received,full stocks of Mr. C'ompton Mackenzie's Mvi) latest novels, "Tiio Early Lifo and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett" aiid its sequel, "Sylvia find Michael." There is no denying tho tremendous vitality, and the. almost bewildering wealth of personal adventure—quite in tlie old 18th century "picaresque novel" stylewinch these hooks contain. Incidentally, in tlio second etory, which, let ino here say, must not be read until after "The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett" lias been read, and, if possible, digested, Mr. Mackenzie gives a series of interesting sidelights upon the latitude. of the Rumanians to ihe war. For several chapters the scene of "Sylvia and jfichael" is laid in Bucharest (the opening scenes are laid in Petrograd), and truth to tell, it is a very son 'y nictura the ■ novelist draws of the Rumanians. Both novels are warmly praised by leading English reviewers, although Mr. Mackenzie's style—at its best in "Carnival" and' the first volume of "Sinister Street"—is held to have suffered not a little from a desire to crowd his canvas with incident. .As to tlio heroine, the "Pall'Mall-.Gazette" goes so far ,as to l-Snv— I which "Liber" assuredlv would not —that Sylvia Scarlett horself js one. of "tlio few really great women in fiction, mn indeed hold her own with Beatrice Esmond and Becky Sharp.". Tut, tut! There is, it is true, a suggestion of tho immortal Becky, but Thackeray's heroine never slink to the dentlis which poor Svlvia was forced to explore, and oil tho other hand, Sylvia is free from Becky's occasional, but unquestionable cattish.ness." War Books for "Keeps." The scrap-heaping of .war books must bo a tatlc- of some difficulty "in many a household where books are and hot merely borrowed. The trouble is to know what to, keep and what to scrap, so much of tho war literature is possessed of a. purely ephemeral interest. In ono of his cliattv T/ondon Letters to New York "Sun." Hugh Walpolo, tho well-known novelist, tells liifl readers that a very modest bookcase will be sufficient to house the war books ho intends tn keep bv him. War verse by Thomas Hardy. John Minefield. BTooke, Sntv soon, 'Nichols, and fiorlov; John Euclian s History. Brand Whitlonk's account of the Germans,in Belgium, Wells's "Mr. Bi'itlincr g(M!3 it Through," Arnold Bennett 9 "Prettv Lady": Bp'e Macnnlnv's "Noucombatants" and "What Not"; _ Mary Sinclair's "Tree of Heaven : Denis Garsten's "The Shilling Soldiers' are amongMt the (books mentioned. Mr. Walnole's list includes several books which "Liber" will most certainly lireserve. I do not think, howovei, that Miss Macaulay's books have any great permanent value, and I am greatly surprised that Mr. Walpolo. does not mention M'ascfMd's "Gallipoli," im _ m.V opinion, at least, a true war classic. I imi glad to see he favours May Sinclair s "Tree of Heaven," to my mind an immonsnrably lliflu iho roucji nvcr-praifip<l "Mr. JSriUiiv-i*" IVucJion s History (Nelson's) cannot, however,_ be too over-valued. Any ono of the little scarlet-backed volumes is worth, for accuracy and intrinsic merit, the whole set. of that pretentious historical scrap bonlc, so full of pnmnons padding, "The 'Timc.s' History of the War." To Mr. Walpole's list I should oertoinlv add Henri Barbnsse's "Le T'Yu" and Maurice Genevoix's book on the defence of Verdun, and in the noetry section I should inelndo one of John Oxenham's! little books of poems, so gallantly inspiring in their noMotie tone, so impressive in their undercurrent of deep spirtualitv. "Tho Control of the Western Pacific." i\lr. Guy Scholelield's Ixiok on "The Pacific," published by Murray, and reviewed in these columns a few weeks ago, gets a two-column review, so I notice, in the "Times Literary Supplement." Mr, Scholefield, who, it, may be remembered, is a Dnnedin man, and was engaged in journalism in that city and in Wellington before he went to London some few years ago to work for tho New Zealand Press Association, has much to Bay in his book on tho nigh Commissioner system under which British interests in the Western Pacific are con-

trolled. On this subject tho "Times" reviewer writes:— Under the heading, "An Obsolete High Commission" he emphasises the need tor some radical change in the Ififrli Contmisaioncrfihip for the Western Pacific. Apart from want of adetiutito communication, which has been fhc main source of trouble, there is no doubt that Ihe Governor of Fiji has been overloaded by tlio additional duties of High Commissioner. There Is much to be said [or a separate High Commissioner, placed in a more central position, and very much for belter co-ordina-tion in all respect by means of periodical conferences. But it would be prematnro and unwise, to abolish the offieo of High Commissioner and transfer his powers and duties to Australia and Nfw Zealand. They have a great deal on hand already, including the administration of the late Gcrinan colonics. Their own mutual relations are a factor to be considered; and no gain is to be anticipated from taking oarly steps to eliminate tile Home Government from tho Pacific. The Latest Leacock. Stephen Lcacoek's "latest funny book," for as such 1 heard it asked for the other day in a local bookshop, may not reach New Zealand for somo time yet, but I havo been privileged to dip iiilo an advance copy. The title is "Tho Hohensollerns in America and Other Impossibilities." Impossibilities olio generally expects to meet in tho Canadian humourist's books, but tlw author fairly outLeacocks Leacock when lie makes the Kaiser and Willie the Knut, with the Emperor Karl of Austria, and Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, arrive in America pauper ilnmigranls. Mr. Leacock paints the "All High tied;" us being torlured by ghosts of tho women anil children who went, down in llie Lusitafiia, and as earning a living by selling small toys from a barrow in the low ((nailers of New York under tho impression that he is conferring Iron Crosses and other .Hun decorations. In another sketch ho describes the discovery of America, by Columbus "on the movies," with Ferdinand of Aragon in "a large wig, flat velvet cap, and square whiskers—same .make-up as "lor Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Ferdinand of Bohemia, or any of the Ferdinands." Tn "Tho Lost Illusions of Mr. Sims," Mr. Leacock draws an amusing picturo of a wealthy old brewer who loves to discourse to his club friends of tho daw-devil deeds of his youthful college days. One by one his old chums, members of the "old gang," come to see 'him, iind ho finds that all tlio ancicut riotousness of spirit has departed. They are now dull, heavy "stifiV" and ."mutts," w-lio dp not sliaro their host's taste for cocktails,, and arc visibly embarrassed J'isj'li'iis of old-t'inhi "rags" and tlio like. Ho is the most badlv disillusioned man in America when, finally, he re-

visits the "old fihop"aml finds everything very different from his over-coloured pictures of the scones of his youthful escapades. Leacock is a very uneven writer, and much of his stair has its prooer place in the "comic" section of a Surnlav Yankee newspaper. '■ Reprinted in book form, 100 ranch'of it seems to have.become sadly tepid in flavour. Liko uncorked claret,- it won't keep. The "Bookman." Tho July "Bookman" (Hoddor and Stoughtoii) contains a plato portrait of that popular writer of war stories ami sketches who is so well known by his pen-name of "Sapper," but who in private Jilo is Cyril M'Noilo. "Sapper's" nrsl novel "Mufti" is reviewed. It is a hill-length novel with an infantry captain for its hero, and is well spoken of by the English papers. Under tho title "A Strange Old Brown MS." -Mr. Davidson Scott tolls tho story of an AngloAmerican Franklin relic, and gives some hitherto unpublished Carlylo letters written to Edward Everett, in tho fifties of tho last century. ' Eugene .Mason reviews Saintsbury's magnum opus, "The History of the French Novel," and Gcorgo. Sampson's-rovieiv of H. G. Wells's "Undying Firo" (Job up-to-date) deEcribt's it as ";i corollary lo Joan ond Peter,'" a further discussion of a subject, specially dear to Wells, "tho aims, methods, and principle? of education, and tho sins and virtues of teachers." Concerning "Cocktails," Who that 'has travelled in America does not know tho custom oE prefacing a ;;ood dinner with that mysteriously composed liquid "fillip," popularly called a "cocktail"? Now, of course, that America has "gone dry," the New Zealand visitor will no longer bo asked to try a "dry Martini" or make acquaintance with a "Manhattan," of both of which beverages "Liber" confesses to agreeable memories. Just recently certain literary pundits have been. discussing i'ho origin of tho word "cocktail." A writer in tho "Bulle.tin" of tho Gorsyenor Library of Buffalo (every big American library issues its own journal, half catalogue and half literary review) points out that "cocktail" is of quite respectable antiquity in American literature, Washington Irving makes Dietrich Knickerbocker say, "Tliey lay claim to bo the first inventors of those recondite beverages, cock-tail, stone-fence, and cherry cobbler," and Nathaniel Hawthorne, in "Tho Blitliedalo Romance," writes of a certain plnco being "famous for nothing but gin-cocktails." The Buffalo writer is also responsible for the statement thhfc "cocktails" were mentioned by Thackeray, Captain Marryatt, and Thomas Kuglhcs, of "Tom Brown" fame.

Stray Leavos. Mr. Clement Shorter, whoso "Literary Letter," signed C.K.S., has so long, for discriminating lovers of books and booky gossip, been tho chief attraction in London . "Sphere," lias l-con visiting tlio Unitetl btates, and is contributing to tho great illustrated weekly of which ho is the editor some very interesting notes on his trans-Atlantic experiences. Mr. Shorter seems to hove been greatly impressed with tlio New York Public Library, and with the number of wellstocked book shops to be found in New York. Hugh TValpole, the woll-lrnown English novelist, is visitiui; the United States this "fall," as tho Americans Say. lie may oven, I hoar, come on to New Zealand, of which ho is a native. Auckland was his birthplace, his father, now Bishop of Kdinburgn, being then Archdeacon Walpole, and a well-knu.vn _ iiguro in tlio northern city; Walpolo's latest story, "Jeremy/' now running as a serial in Die "Now York Bookman/' is n study of child life. The background is mainly Cornwall, tho scenario, .is some of my readers wilt remember, of tho novelist's earlier stories, "Tho Woodon llorse," Jljuvidiek at Forty," and, in part, of that fine itory "Fortitude." 1 Macmillaiis are reissuing Walpole's novels in a cheaper edition. They are all well worth buying, more particularly "Fortitude" and "Tho Duchess of Wrexo." The latter, to may mind, is as good as tho best of Thackeray.

W. I<. George, who has (old the public that lio considers his "Jilind Alley" "my best novel," is not the only novelist to indulge in pull's preliminary of his work. Upton Sinclair, of "Jungle" fume, lias, I sec, written a new story, "Jimmio Iliggins," which he, too, is good enough to inform probable purchasers "is tho best book I have ever written." Next, please! That extraordinary, and, to many people, including "I.iber." most objectionable creature, Ihe "conscientious objector," was bound sooner or later to crop up as the hero of a novel. Tt is Mr. Harold Ileghie, who has chosen to glorify—nr apologise for!— Ilio 0.0. in his story entitled "Mr. filerlintr Sticks It Out." Of course, all the military men are brutes, and tho 0.0. liero, a Quaker, a model of all Ihe virtues, Tndeed, he is so unrelLvodly saint-like I hat more than one revi.wer of the book has voted him a bore, which, considering he is "presented," as the theatrical advi)rliseiii"!ils put it, by Mr. TTnrold jjegbie, is not to me very astonishing. Cricketers all ihe world over will be interested in the news lhat. the lonc-pio-mised "Memorial Biography of AW (!. firace." oublished under '.lie auspices of tho famous Marylebono Cricket Club, is now announced for immediate publica- | tion bv Messrs. Cons fables.