The Moving Finger

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 20, 21 July 1911, Page 14

The Moving Finger

"The Moving Finger whites; and having writ, moves on."

Here Aye are again 1 And with a packed pigeon-hole, __too. In paragraphing as in correspondence, as indeed in most things, when there's overmuch to do the inclination is to let it all slide. (Beware, our brother, of liaving overmuch to do.) Ever felt that way? Of course you have, being a brained biped—final form of animal evolution, etc. However, avaunt Disinclination. * * * "Liilley's Magazine' has' made its appearance. The June and July numbers are before us, and we hope they'll bo before a bis; contingent 'of our 40.000 readers (.sum: 10,000 circulation X four readers each copy). Published at 6d. the new magazine deserves encouraging support not so much for what it is but for its potentialities. Assuredly it will have to get bigger and batter to justify its existence. Somehow, "Liilley's" is reminiscent of ''Steele Rudd's" in .style and size, and though better written, it is cqiially scrappy and patchy. The mania of Smattering seems , to have eaten into the vitals of our journalism. It is time for some one to rise and declare that condensation is not literature. A novel cannot be squeezed into a page nor <a drama "boiled down into a column. The chief need of Australasian writers is room to spread —and nowhere is there space to do so. We'd like to "spread" on this theme, and doubtless we'd be interesting (ahem!) but that damned paragraphic popularity fastended by the"Bulletin upon a blue-pencilled Commonwealth peremptorily forbids ib. * * * Lot us concede that the paragraph has its place, but let us also realise that a great human tragedy cannot be unfolded, "while you wait," nor a golden book be reviewed on the spasm principle, nor jerkiness and staccato sentences pass for creative writing. Tbe leading magazine of the English-speaking world is "The English Review" because its writers have space to spread in ; the best form of a short story is the sort given as opening one in "The Smart Set." ' And Australasia is waiting for a magazine which will give our scribes breathingroom and living-room. Whereas "Lilley's" would appear to contemplate cramping them with additional severity to the ruling model.That model has its honoured place, but surely no one model can be permitted to leg-iron Australia's nascent literature to castiron formula? *• * * As for "Lilley's Magazine" tlie contents is all so evenly and ordinarily good that nothing in particular catches the eye, startles the breath or arrests the mind. All one seems to want to do is finger the pages, see what's on them, and make an end. The writers are of standard, right enough, but don't appear to have anything to say (which is another disquieting omen). There is a group of writers in Melbourne who have something to say and can say it, and not one of the group figures in "Lilley's.' Who are the group? Well, some of them are—Sinclaire (there's a gold mine in this man for the oaoer who'll grab him and not pith him)," O'Dowd (whose "Tbe Windmen' had it appeared in " Lilley's" would have -eternally famed it), Esson. Strong, Curtin, Menzies—some with "names" and some with "names" to win. Lilloy himself has something to say, if he'd only say it, instead of "chopping" himself into "bits," or making himself sieve for every gutless word-wielder of diseased or dead commonplaces. And all this we can mean -without meaning anything derogatory to "Lilley's' able contributors, who probably have something to say if they'd insist on saying it, but are getting brow-beaten into barrenness. * * * Yet— a -welcome to "Lilley's Magazine,' the intentions of which are good in respect of art and literature outside of its apotheosis of Brevity. None better than we knows the necessity of brevity, but none more wants to get away sometimes from its awful clamp and convention, and wing Leisure and Loafing to Parnassian heights. * # * Well, that IS a beginning for a writer with two columns at his disposal and fifty items to chronicle. And here's the July "Lone Hand,'' which thinks itself national and is' merely Jingoistic. Randolph Bedford (the "good Australian" who wanted Jack

Johnson licked because lie was black) raises the yellow and brown Bogey for all lie's worth and Editor Adams leves Australia getting annihilated per a fablo concerning the same bogey, and "Ex-Naval Officer proves tlie Australian bluejacket better than the British tar in the interests of the same bogey (he seams to hang to tbe tar like grim death, though), and Gerard, with Norman Lindsay's assistance, screams "Australia for Ever" against the same bogey. All of which is Fudge—and is operating in Australia for the strengthening of caste and ceremonial, conscription and capitalism. * * # * * - Nevertheless, the""Lone "Hand" is a big sixpenn'orth and is strong this month in picture, verse and story. A3 a "popular" magazine it holds its own. One article calls for our emphatic condemnation. It is "A New Development in "Labour Organisation." but isn't about industrial unionism but about systematic speeding-up, and might bo called ''Tips for Modern Legrees/' The title reminds us of that other ''Lone TTand" title "Mnsic and fiociab'sm," humorles.sly used to describe the Sheffield Choir enterprise. Since the Choir in Australasia hf~ been utilised for all it is worth as boomer of Imperialism and "the silken bonds." and since its chief song i"* "Gor-siave" (thundered on the slightest provocation) we begin to suspect enterprise is not one so much in behalf of musical culture as in behalf of 103/----alty and royalty and the national cheapness and cheating these stand for. * * * * # We are in receipt of "God or No God in the School." a pastoral letter discussion and examination by th° Ui.o-ht Rev. Henry W. Cleary, D.D.. Bishop of Auckland. The discussion and examination d-e.a.l chiefly with th~ "Evening Post," which paper certainly does not come off second best. The "discussion" once again serves to m-ove the fallibility and humanness of Bishops, and for this reason its pub lioation is to be welcomed, thouerh Bishop Cleary's display of soreness, anxiety to "score" and general undignity makes us wonder why on earth he hadn't sense enough to stick to pastoral letters, and so remain inviolate. 4- * * Apropos of our book-study, the latest work of note on Lassalle, to wit Brandes' "Lassalle," is a work not to miss for the greatness of its' estimate and the genius of its glinting summarising of Lassalle's teaching and tactics. "We'd like to review it, but haven't time this side of the Christmas holidays. Let it be understood that Lassalle's place as co-founder with Marx of scientific Socialism bulks increasingly, and m the future he, too, will stand where Shakespeare stands. The day approaches when the economic emancipators will be Biggest Figures. * * * The May Day numbers of "Justice" and "Labour Leader" are events of every year. In the" case of the former this year's feature was a double-page cartoon by Walter Crane- —a cartoon which ought to be put out as a sheet and ornament every worker's walls. In the case of the "Labor Leader" the feature was a special supplement called the "May Day Garland," arranged by Keir Hardie and packed with great things. It is sub-titled "The Herald of the Socialist Daily." Come quickly, such daily ! * * * We thought the world knew John Addington Symonds' poem "The New Vision," of which some stanzas appear elsewhere. These stanaas appeared in the May Day "Labour Leader" and were evidently conceived as original by "Public Opinion" and by it acknowledged to the '"Labour Loader," and in turn by Wellingtor "Evening Post" to the same paper. 4f * 4fr The "Downs Tribune" is new Labour weekly started at Toowoomba. Q'land. It is isstied on Sundays—why can't we have Sunday papers in N.Z. ?—and is brimful of readable stuff. * * .*■ Of late we have been enjoying "Tlie Clarion" as in days of old when "The Bounder" reigned and Blatchford's "Julie" appeared serially. This on account of Neil Lyons' sparkling story, "Simple Simon, the History of a Fool." It is delightfully ridiculous and banteringly satirical—a weekly treat in the way of radiant wit. * * * Three separatist Socialist papers iand comrades-in-arms of Txte Maorixand Worker -are Melb. "Socialist," Syd. "International Socialist." and Auckland "Social-Democrat. These are each obtainable «*t Id. the Wellington and other Socialist Pa.*- I - "branches and deserve to find <a siale

for reading and passing-on. "Push. otUF own papers, militants. * * * Hero endeth—no, it doesn't. For * reader whose view is of weight writes: ' 'Re that alleged interview with Carlyle on Darwin. I say 'alleged,' because I don't believe Carlyle could have given utterance to so palpably ignorant a conception of Darwinism} he is made repeat just the ordinary ignorant bins regarding the 'fittest.' Darwin showed that the form of life most fitted to survive in its. PARTICTTLAR ENVIRONMENT WOOIId survive—NOT that those who survive aro necessarily the fittest, i.e., the best, the noblest, the most beautiful in form or character. In other words, the idea of fitness always varies with the environment." Is Frank Harris listening ? ■x- *• * Here endeth tlie gospel according to the Moving Finger—until the next outbreak.