LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 90, 10 January 1920, Page 11

LIBER'S NOTE BOOK

Stray Loaves. A correspondent, "K.G.," asks: "Why has not 'Liber' given us some notes on tlio Spanish novelist, Vincente Blasco Ibanez, whose 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse' is such n wonderful book?" I am afraid "K.G." does not read bis Dominion' with that regularity which so many other book lovers, so they assure nie, .find profitable, For not only was. Blasco Ibanez's great story reviewed in this journal some two months ago (on November 8), but on several occasions last year ."Liber" drew attention to the great vogue this and other books of- Blasco Ibanez were having in America. To all lovers of good literature who can afford to subscribe to a halfcrown monthly, I would warmly commend "The London Mercury," the first issue of which appeared in November last. The editor is Mr. J. C. Squire, who, _ alike as poet, parodist, and literary critic, is one of the ablest of the younger school of English litterateurs. Mr. Squiro's weekly article, "Books in General," in the "New Statesman," signed "Solomon Eagle," has long been a joy to tho readers of what is, in my opinion, by far the best written of tho English weekly reviews. Mr. Squire has also been a regular contributor of re-, views to "Land and Water." "The London Mercury" makes a very promising start. It contains some excellent original mattor (a poem by Thomas Hardy, an article on Georßo Eliot by Edmund Gosse, and an interesting essay on latter-day influences on poetry by the editor), and its reviews are not only well up to date, but are written with a refreshing candour. A good feature is the printing of short bibliographies of tho younger writers. The format is a quarto, and the typographical set-up is very tasteful.. Altogether, "The London Mercury" promises to be to the English literary world what tho "Mercuro do Franco" and the "Nouvello ltavue Franeaiso" arc to the literary world of Prance. The English "Bookman" is an excellent literary magazine. and its New York namesake, espcciallv under its present editorship, is also an admirable production'. James Milne's cossipy "Book Monthly" has also greatly imnroved of late. But none of these publications .fills finite the same place as that now nceuoied bv "The Loudon Mercury," which is scholarly without being pedantic. is free from all trace of preciosity, and. lost, but not least, excludes tho thinly-disguised publisher's puff preliminary so often to be defected in English and American periodicals. English reviews of Mr. Gregory Smith's "Ben .Tonson." «. new volume in Macmillan's "English Men of Letters" series, arc verv eulogistic At his best, as in "Everv Man in His Humour," and "VolTion." "rare Ben Jonson" was one of the creates!: <f the Elizabethans. Now that iho war is over it is to be hoped that Macmillans will add not a few volumes to the admirable series in which Mr. Smith's stmlv of Jonson is included. In a series which includes Miss Edgewortli and Tom Moore, thero should surely be nlace for Charlotte Bronte and Robert Louis Slevenson. Sir Sydney C'olvin might well undertake the Tf.L.S. volume, and .in for the Brontes, the services of Mr. Clement Shorter, whose admirable "Cliarlntte Bronte and Her Circle" can now be obtained at a reasonable price fin Dent's "Wayfarer's Library), should certainly be enlisted. "The Times" Literary Supplement warmly commends Mr. AY. 11.. Hudson's latest book, "The Book of a Naturalist," just published by. Hodder and Stoughton. Hudson is a latter-dny Richard Jeffries. Everything he writes is invested with a special and peculiar charm. Do you know bis earlier South American books, "Tho Purple Laud" and "Grec.n Mansions"? If nut, sample them, and 1 fancy you will thank , "Liber" for tho tip. They are delightfully fresh and original in their outlook and style. Both these books ire obtainable jn Duckworth's Library— about four and sixpence, I think, nowa- ■, lays. Even a Hun war historian somelimcn tells the truth. Thus in a recentlypublished book on "Die Marncschlacht, 1911" (;ho Marne campaign), a German general. Baimigarten-C'rusius, writes as , follows: "The great attack in the AYest was like a gigantic Kaisermaiiover, with mormons rceord-breaking marches, and brilliant initial successes, but it ended like a. rocket. That was my impression luring and after the campaign of the ilarne." In Mr. John Murray's winter season list is nil announcement of a. new'book, by a French writer, 11. C. Esconllaire, entitled, "Ireland—an Enemy of tho' Allies?" The publishers assert that , \l. Esconflaire "has mado a special 1 study of Irish history and politics." AViUiam le Queux, well-known novelist, recently figured in the London Bankruptcy Court. Unsuccessful speculation and extravagance in living were illeged to bo the causes of the novelist's linancial difficulties. Lovers of good poetry, in particular those who have oil their snelves tho three volumes of "Georgian I'oetry," published by the "I'oetry Bookshop," A should nofe tho fact that, a fourth volume in this delightfully-produced series, to wil, "Georgian Poetry, IiHS--1910," should soon be on sale in New T Zealand bookshop?. These "Georgian Poetry" books contains selections from Ihe work of the best, of tho younger school of English poets. Some of the best work of such men as Rupert Brooke, Lascelles Ahercrombie, .1. Juaseiield, ,1. C. Squire, and John Drinkwater, is in- B iluded. Longmans are issuing a new, complete edition of Lord Beaconslield's novels at Is. 6d. a volume (English price). "Dizzy" i'ould bo witty enough at times, and as Pictures ol a bygone society such I] stories as "Coningsby," "lleniictla I'emple," and "Lothair," which would be "Liber's" pick out ol' the Bcaconsfiuld 'bunch," are still worth reading. But m "Dizzy's" work has always, so it seems to me, an air of artificiality about it, ind ho is not likely to have much of an audience nowadays. Allen and I'nwin announce a memoir if "Joseph Fels, His Life and AA'ork," bv Mary Fels. Mr. Fels was for rnanv rears a generous financial supporter of 'i' •ingle-tax propaganda. A book which should prove of con■iderable interest to students of Polyne- ij ;ian history, mythology, and ethnologv, n, ivas to be published in London shortly j before the last mail left. This is "Th"; ']• Mystery of Easter Island," by Mrs. W. scoreshy Eoutledge. ' CI