BOOKS OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 185, 1 May 1920, Page 11

BOOKS OF THE DAY

''The Mixture as Before." •Lord Fisher's second book cf personal : rominiscence, political comment, - and "moral- reflections, , "Records" (Hodder' ... and S.toughton, 'per. Whitcomlio .' and .Tombs), is just as racy in style, as provocative of amusement (mingled, it _■. nay bo, in some eases with mild indig- ' Jiation), and as eminently readable • as was the much-discussed and widely-quoted "Memories." It is an extrordiriary olla podrida. Evonts. and topics of the Bravest moment find interest ere discussed .with a jaunty frankness which to eomo people may bo rather disOoncert- - ihg, but -which to others will have nil tho effect of, a mental tonic. .'The ■bonnes histoires,-- the audacious personalities, tho attacks on systems, - moth-' ods and principles arouhd which has srown an atmosphere of hoarv and re- . "spectable precedent and tradition, the . blazing indiscretions, 'the. egotism and 6elf-conceit which alternately astounded or irritated readets of "Memories," are •all again to the fore. ■ Royalty—more particularly in. the person of King Edward—bulks largely in' the book,' but Lord Fishor makes plain his own opinion that the future'lies with democracy. He warmly applauds the motion passed ,in the Canadian House-of - Commons, '"asking that no more hereditary titles be bestowed- in Canada,"' and proceeds as follows: '.; ... ■ . Why should Great' Britain lag behind .Canada and tho .United States? Itcredi- ■ tar.v titles are ludicrously out' of date in any. modern democracy, and tho sooner we 6ween away all tha: cimcracka and Bowsaws of snobbery tho better. Tho fount of so-called honour has become a deluge. and tho newspapers are hard nut to it to .find room for even tho sprav of- , the deluge. Tho . war has not begotten . fiirfmlicity. and austerity- in this respectOn tho contrary, it has made wliat used to be a comedy—a screamins farce. There; was a timo when the Birthday Honours List could be printed* in ono day. but it is-now a serial .novel. .-. . . There are no doubt many flippancies hnd banalities, plus 6ome few downright vulgarities, in this book, but in his remarks on Britain's-naval policy, past and future, Lord Fisher! deserves to be taken very seriously. It is a curiouslycomposite and complex personality which is -revealed in the book, but as 1 a self-portrait the second Fisher book is fully as fascinating a$ the first. IA Stevenson Dictionary, . 1 Perhaps "A Stevenson Cyclopaedia" Iwould be the best description of Mr. George E. Brown's "A Book' of E.L.S." ' (Metiiuen and Co.). -It is a book which every good Stovensonian should possess, more particularly should he bo. fortunate enough to possess a full set of Stevenson's works. In alphabetical order, Mr. Brown,gives well-considered notes on ;Steven£on'fr'hooks,.his- , travels, his friends, and commentators. He is specially interesting in his' identifications of many , of the novelist's characters hnd some of the notes on Stevenson's friends contain jnnch new and interesting information. The topography of the novels and stories has evidently been closoly studied by Mr. Brown, .who skilfully "utilises the /'Letters" to. snow- the development. of Stevenson's genius. On "Treasure Island" there is quite a lengthy article. It was the novelist's first:-financial-success; and ■it _delighted him hugely to bo able :to Svrite to his parents as follows.—.

Mv Dear People,—l have had a great feieco o£ news. There lias been o'ftered for ''Treasure Island"—how 'much doyou sunpose? .1 beJlove it would'bo'an excellent Jest to keen',the answer.'till my ne'it'letter. For two cents 'I' would' do so. Shall J? Anyway. I'll turn the nae:e. first. No--woll—a 1 hundred pounds, all alive 0! A hundred jingling, tinelins nuide! Is this, not wonderful?. . v . It does look as if I should support myself in the future;, If I havo only health. I can, thank God. It is dreadful tohn'a ereat hie mail, and not be able to buy bread: ' Luckily Stevenson, did not sell, tlie story fight out. Up to 191.9, Cassells, so' Mr Brown tells us, had paid the novelist and his heirs ,£SOOO in royalties on "Treasure Island" alone. As a guide, to the Stevenson novels and essays, and a compendium of biographical ana bibliographical information, Mr. Brown's ibook represents'- an. excollont idea, carried out with signal success.

*'Tho Australasian Rosa Book," New Zealand; rose growers should, accord a hearty welcome to "The Australasian Eose Book," by E. G. Elliott (Whitcombeand Tombs). Mr. Elliott, as winner, of no fewer than 230 first prizes' for roses, including tho amateur championship of Victoria, was '.well qualified: to compile what is described ag "a complete practical guide for rose growers."; Ho has been assisted in : his task by fam- :■ cus rose growers in the various Australian ■ States, tho New Zealand contributors be<ing Mr. W.--E. Lippiatt, of ' Otaliuhu, Auckland, who is almost as well known in the rose world of Australia as in the I Dominion, nnd Mrs. Effie Douglas, of [Oamaru, who is a well-known contributor :ta tho "Eoso Annual" of the National' 'Eoso Society ,of England. ■ Eose' cultivation is followed through all its stages, . expert information and advise beiflg given on tho preparation of the beds,- selection of most suitable varieties, propagation by budding and cuttings, isation, the special care of exhibition blooms, etc.. Tho illustrations, of which: thero aro a largo mimbeil, • aro of--great beauty, and constitute. a ■ veritable picturo gallery of what most people agree is the loveliest of all flowers. Tho book; is beautifully printed on art' paper, and . constitutes, an exceptionally .interesting and valuable addition to the literature of horticulture. ' ; .Stray Leaves. Tho late Dr. W. KiSgton \Fytfe was an'' enthusiastic bookman, and "Liber" would here express his deep regret at-the death of 'so ardent a lover of good, literature. Dr'. Fyffo was always ready to wield *a. conversational lanco in defence of the Victorians. He was an -enthusiastic.-ad- I mirer of Thackeray, and had also a great penchant for Anthony Trollope's nowa'days, I foar, nuich-iieglccted novels, more particularly the Barsetshire, series.The docfor did -not, limvawr. neglect-such moderns as John Masefield and Rnnert Brooke, amongst poets,-' and, Hugh Walpo!e and Frank Swyimorton amongst the noveHFtv A kindly-hearted man, who lad always time for a, pleasant chat upon uiusiq, art, and literature, ho will ilie niucli misseft,- ■ .Mr. G. K. Chestenion has,gono on a "trip to Palestine, and the result is to bo a hook of "impressions," which shoulo certainly orove very-readable. "G. K:'s" latest book; on t';e divorco ciuestion, re--BccH it is said,' thoso clerical- sympathies which h-ive been so 'noticeable in his work of recent years. ; English panel's report the death of Mr. .'Chatles Gf vvice. whnin someone hnsValKl the' Ella tfheeli.i* Wilcnx of British fic- ' tion. Garvico had a big public, of his town. Of course to-the novel road"rwho re]oic"i in f'nnrwl or flomplon Mackenzie or Hugh Walnob hi?, novels will seem unspeakably banal in "theme, -rind his English ,was occasionally very sloppy. •But; his stories weVo always wholesome ■!n tone, and he Rave pleasure to .tens of thousnnds of readers to whom a- more Intellectual class of fiction would spell Unmitigated boredom. A comnlete Conrad is being niy Iranged by tho publishers holding tho English copyrights. It is to be hoperl that it mav not be a costly edition de lux", nich as MneinilInn's new "Mellslnelc" edition of Thomas Hardv's work s , but that its price mav raider it available to tho ordinary book buver.

A complete edition of Henry .Tames'R Ftories is also hoinpr plartnod, in no fewer thiin thirty-three volumes. James is envinre to the million, I>nt even in New Zealand, where the novel of adventure, plus b'g does of ?ncelinrino- sentiment, !s, I fear, too generally favoured, tlio 'American novelist has a small Tjiit fcithful band of admirore.

An -American novel of the ultra sensational kind, Air. George Gibbs's, "Tho Golden Bough," is, -I read, enjoying n big - sale in tho Old Country. In its own class "The Golden Bough," tho scenes in which aro laid in Switzerland and Germany, is an exceptionally attractive story. When it first came out it, sold well in New Zealand, and supplies. were rapidly, exhausted. Tho book is now; I notice, again on'ealo in Wollington. _' Hodder and Stoughton's are publishing a complete new English edition of 0. Henry's stories. Arthur Waugh, in the London. "Dailv Telegraph," attributes, I see, 0. Henry's ever increasing popularity in England to the now numerous kinema versions of his stories. The English critic styles 0. Henry '.'that big-hearted man," and warmly praises his grasp of character, although he, finds. ; his work "too tricky iii. tcchnifj ue."

Those of my readers who are interested ln.Burnsiana should note, in the March "Bookman" (Hodder and Stoughton) an article entitled "Burns and Aberdeen," by Mi's. Davidson Cook. Another good item in the same number is an article on tho now famous Indian mystical stories by F. W. Bain. As usual the illustrations n.re numerous and well produced. Tho April number is to be a combined Spring' Number and Herbert Spencer Centenary Number. Article l ? on Soencer will be contributed by Professor J. ArAn entirely new and most interesting description of the famous Easter Island images is given in a recently published book. "The Mystery of Easter Island." by Mrs. Scoresby Routledge, who, with her husband, made a special and longthv Visit to the island in 1913. The- book is rather expensive (ifil lis. (id.), but judging bv a two-column review in tho "Times Literary. Supplement," appears to Ixi an exceptionally notable contribution to Polynesian ethnology and mythology. . ■ It is understood that Mr. R-. B, Cunningham Grahame, whose long series of brilliantly written sketches of life in South America, Morocco, and Spain ("Progress," l "Faith," "Charity," and "His People") have found so many, admiring, readers. will give theso books no successor' in ;the same genre. He has, however, written an important bing? •rnphy,; "A Brazilian Mystic, Being tho Lifo and Memoirs of Antonio Conseilhero," Conseilhero, whose name is still famous throughout South America, has been described as "the last of (ho Gnostics." Surrounded by kindred spirits, dressed in deer skins, he passed ■his-life-on horseback seeking adventures, and defied the Brazilian forces for many years, until he was eventually slain, with (ill his little band. If Mr. Grahame's new book is as readable as that excellent historical, monograph, "The Last of tha Conquistadores," published somo ten years ago, it should- be well worth buying. Some Kipling- items, formerly tho property of J. Nicoll -Dunn; who was managing editor of the once famous. "National Observer," what time W. E. Ilenley was its literary chief, were sold in London in January. ' The author's proof of "Cleared," as printed in tho "National Observer," and subsequently in "Barrack Room Ballads." with the author's corrections and alterations, plus some by- Henley, brought ,£GG. The holograph mss. of "Fuzzy, Wuzzy," on

a quarto sheet, cut in half for the compositors, fetched iSO. Auatolo Franco loses heavily in. a translation, however veil it may ho dono, but it ia better to rend tho great French ironist in a translation than not at all. Two now volumes of liis works have been added to Mr. John Lane's well-known English edition. • . A new American, book which should bo worth reading is that entitled "Amoricanism versus Bolshekism." Tho author is.the famous Mayor of Seattle, Mr. Ole Hanson, who, finding that his city was suffering from an invasion of I.W.W. and Bolshekists arose in his might and cleared the decks so effectually as to give a useful load to tho Federal Government in' their action, later on, against the so-called "Radicals," 'other-' wise the Red Bevolutionaries. It will bo interesting to New Zealanders to • sco how Seattle doalt with the problem.

Williams and Norgato announce a newbook, "Tho Training of tho Mind and Will," by the Rev. W. Tudor Jones, for some timo Unitarian minister in Wellington. Mr. Jones was wont, whilst in New Zealand, to glorify certain German philosophers, Bricken and Haeckel amongst others. I wonder whether ho still retains his old enthusiasm for his erstwhile Hun heroes.

The Cambridge University Press announce "The Cambridge Ancient History," to be completed in eight volumes, nndcr tho general editorship of Professor J. B. Bury, who edited the fino edition of Gibbon published by Methuens. The general plan of the work will be similar to that of the Cambridge Modern History.