The Puppet Show of Memory.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1922, Page 4

The Puppet Show of Memory.

A BOOK REVIEW. Mr 'Maurice Baring is one of those fortunate people who have been everywhere and who know everyone worth knowing. He also subscribes to M.t Stephen M’Kenna’s opinion that there is no reason why the writing of reminiscences should be the monopoly of septuagenarians. He believes that if a person has experiences of interest to relate lie should set them down while they arc still fresh in his recollection. Hence “The Puppet Show of Memory,” which describes Mr Baring’s adventures in education, in diplomacy, and in journalism clown to 1912. The author is a member of the well-known banking family, and spoilt much of bis childhood in France. From quite early years, indeed, he was bilingual. After the usual course at a preparatory school he went on to Eton, where among his eon temporaries were many who subsequently achieved distinction. He was destined for Lhe Diplomatic Service, candidates for which had to pass an entrance examination. Languages, literature, and so forth presented no difficulties to him, but geography and arithmetic were, formidable obstacles. To this day, ho admits, he is almost innocent of innthmatk*s, and, although he prides himself on his ability to find his way about the world, bis knowledge of geography was for long not ol the sort that satisfied" the examiners.

He went up to Oxford to be coached fur Hu* test, and. although ho was not a member of the University, and did not live in college, be shared in the ordinary pursuits of the undergraduate and found them much to his liking. At that time Mr Hilaire Belloc was the bright pnrtisnlnr star in the Oxford firmament, and had already mounted his anii-semitie hobbvhorsc. Subsequently Mr Raring went as a student to Cambridge in the ho|n> of being able to learn some arithmetic. ] \ :tin hope. He acquired a good deal ol knowledge of other subjects, but | the mysteries of arithmetic still eluded him. After a few terms lie gave it up and relied upon the intensive efforts of a era minor to get him through. Meanwhile In* had paid several prolonged visits to Germany to learn Gorman, and had made tiio home of a worthy professor at Ilildesheim his headquarters: His impressions of Grrinnnv in the middle ’Nineties are interesting, and hear out the observations of other travellers. He did not come into contact with the aristocratic and official classes, but associated chiefly with the bourgeois, the professional and intellectual classes, among whom one would have expected to find a certain amount of knowledge and broadmindedness. Instead, Here was little save ignorance and prejudice, as far as England was concerned. Personally, lie liked them well enough, and tliev treated him with tbe utmost kindness and consider:!-' lion. But, while no hostility was shown to Englishmen as individuals, he was conscious evervwliorc of a very pronounced feeling of antagonism towards England as a nation, lie never once met a German who said it would be a good thing for Germany and England to Ik* friends. Iln* Germans envied England her place in the sun, and frankly begrudged it to her. England was ill variably represented as a greedy, selfish, spoilt-sport ol Germany. In the textbooks used in German schools the part that England played in history was made to appear either insignificant, baleful, or mean. Practically nothing was said of tin* early history of England or of the Tudor, Elizabethan, and Stuart periods, while the role attributed to England in the Napoleonic wars is that of a dishonest broker. It is no wonder that a generation nurtured on such provender brought about the downfall ol llioir country.

In the fulness o{ iimu Mr Raring successfully negotiated the geographical and arithmetical hurdle and was appointed to a post in the British Embassy at Paris .where Sir Edward Munson was then Ambassador. The duties ol the* attaches do not appear to have been very exacting. They had to attend the funerals <*f celebrities, and appear at, various social tunct'ioiis; lent apart from that, their principal occupation seems to have been to engage in more or less harmloss “rags.” A fellow attache. explained to Mr Baring that a large staff had to lie employed at the Embassy in ease something turned up. or. if it did. it did not conic the way of the junior members, and Mr Baring had plenty of leisure to go to the theatre and to perfect his knowledge of From h literature. it was here that ho first came undo* the spell of Sarah Bernhardt, He had the, privilege* of making her acquaintance, and ho devo ten a chapter to an enthusiastic and discriminating appreciation of her art. IneidentaTlv. lie mentions that she told him that the most remarkable sight sin* had ever beheld in tier life was in Australia, when, “in a large prairie she had seen the whole

sky suddenly filled with a dense flock of briliantly-coloured birds, which had risen all at once from the ground and obscured the whole horizon with their dazzling coloured plumage.” When Mr Baring was in Paris, France was still restless after the Fashodn incident, and was in the throes of the Dreyfus affair, of which even to-day echoes are heard. From Paris Mr Baring was .transferred to the Embassy at Copenhagen, where at that time Count Benekendorff was the Russian .Minister. The /close friendship which lie* formed with the ( omit was destined -to have an important effect on the author’s career. Through the Count’s persuasions he learnt Hussion. and subsequently visited Russia a,t the Count’s invitation After a while .Mr Baring tired of diplomacy, and decided to go in for journalism, and ill thi s calling he turned his knowledge.' of Russian into good account. He* was the special correspondent of the “Morning Rost” in the Russo—Tnpnnose war, although lie* confesses that he did not see a very great deal of it. Special correspondents were* then beginning to discover that in a modern war they are not very popular with the authorities, who subject them -to all manner of irritating ' restrictions. This lesson was enforced even more strictly on tlici Japanese side, and, as a matter of fact, Mr Baling lias no complaint to make against the Russians .whom he found to be very good fellows. On his way home to England he passed through Russia during that outbreak, which, beginning as a strike became a revolution, and resulted in the establishment of the Duma. A Government in closii touch with the people would have taken warning from that experience, hut the Russian bureaucracy was slow to learn. Mr Baring had a number of exciting adventures, and returned from his travels with a liking for the Russians which subsequent events have not dispelled. Back in London he varied the routine of journalism h.v embarking on a unique hut short-lived literary enterprise in company with Air Hilaire Belloc and the late Raymond AsI quith. His reminiscences are most interesting. W’e have intimate glimpses I of oelelirities. English, and Continental; we watch the transaction of nightie ( ,vents and visit strange cities with Mr Baring as our guide*. “The* I’uppot Show of Memory” leaves ofi with the first Balkan War.

rrs A MISTAKE. .Many people in a misguided effort to { et rid o'f backache, rely on plasters, liniments and other make shifts. The right treatment is kidney treatment, find a remarkably recommended kidney medicine is Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills. The following is an experience typical of the work of tins grand remedy : Hr A. Wisdom, Carpenter, Cobdcn, Croyniouth says:—“l have used Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills for backache for some time, and I find them an excellent remedy. For a number of years I have been subject to pains about the kidneys, but my sufferings were increas;(J |,v ,in accident. By taking this remedy now and again I have been free if backache for the past two years. I obtained Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills i,i Williams’ Bharmacy. and recommend them to all who suffer with backxchc.” Sixteen years later Mr Wisdom says: ‘L havo still the same great faitli in Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills. They keep me free from the torture of backache, and I can get about in ease and comfort.” Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills are mid by all chemists and storekeepers it 3s per bottle, or will bo posted, on receipt of price by Foster-McClellan Co., 5 Hamilton Street, Sydney. 1 But. lie sure you get DOAN’S.