LIBER’S NOTE-BOOK

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8343, 1 February 1913, Page 10

LIBER’S NOTE-BOOK

The special Christmas number of "The Bookman" is an issue; of which the editor, Sir William Robertson Nicoll, and the publishers, Messrs Hodder and StousriiI ton, may -well be proud. In mere point of bulk—both of matter literary and artistic —it easily excels all previous special numbers of either British or American periodicals of its kind. A thick fullBized folio of over 300 pages, not counting the advertisement pages, it is bound in a neat canvas cloth cover, upon which is mounted a reduced replica of tho fine new photogravure portrait of Kudyard Kipling, which is given as a frontispiece. In addition to quite "a number of beautiful colour printfl reproduced from tho art and pift books of the season, a special supplement is (riven, a portfolio of four exquisite plates in 'Colour, by Edmond Dulac. illustrating !"The Bells" and other poems by Edgar I Allan Poe.

Another notable supplemental plate is a reproduction of a water colour drawing by Hugh Thomson of n scene in “She Stoops to Conquer." The literary features include special articles on Rudyard Kipling, by Dixon Scott; "The Poetry” of George Meredith," by Mrs Moynell; an illustrated article on "Mrs Gaskell’s Birth Place," by Mrs E. H. Chadwick; "Byron," by Sir George Douglas; "The Real Gissing,” by Frank SwinnerioTi, etc., etc. Portraits of popular authors, reviews of tho new books of the season contribute to make up a unite notable issue. The price is two shillings, and regular subscribers to the magazine may congratnlate themselves unou securing a copy, as the whole edition was disposed of "to the trade” within a few hours of publication. As I have said, time and again, a yearly subscription to "Tho Bookman" is one of the best investments that can bo made by a colonial book-lover.

Miss Edith Howes, whose children's books havo gradually won their wav to popularity with readers far beyond the Dominion, has produced yet another collection of stories and sketches—and verses—similar to those which under the titles of “The Sun’s Babies” and "Fairy Rings" have been so much admired in tho past- Her new book, "Rainbow Children" (Caosel and Co, per Whitcombo and Tombs) has been conceived and carried out on much the old lines, and for one, X am glad that Miss Howes has remained faithful to such an admirable model. This clever lady, whose work is well known to readers of this journal, is clearly a keen student of Nature, but what is more, she can put her knowledge of Nature’s mysteriously beautiful workings in language at once so simple and so charming that not only children but adult readers must perforce bo interested and fascinated.

There are chapters in this last hook of Miss Howes which appear to me to possess a charm, both iu subject and style, which cannot be found in the work oi any other latter day writer for children. Miss Howes has a truly poetic imagination which finds just as effective and delightful presentment in her prose sketches as in the sets of verses with which her chapters are liberally hestudded. To all who may not he acquainted with tho work of a writer of whom New Zealand may well he proud, I would say taxe the first opportunity which offers for reading one of these quite fascinating books. To tho volume specially under notice, the well known English artist, Alice B. Woodward, contributes four coloured plates. An ideal gift book for young children. (Price 3s Gd.)

Lafcadio Hearn’s fascinating, if somewhat baffling, personality, the strange atmosphere of romantic interest which attaches to the man, has perhaps been as much responsible for so much having been written , about him and his work as the actual quality and value of his literary output considered alone. There was room, however, for a compact little monograph such as that which has now been written on Hearn and his work- by Edward Thomas, and published, as a volume of their excellent “Modern Biographers’ " series, by Messrs Constable, at one and threepence. In the brief space at his command, Mr Thomas ban managed to give us an admirable, if not over-sympathetic, study of Hearn and his work. He has. of course, drawn liberally upon the “Letters" edited by Eliza, both Bisland, and upon Dr. Gould’s curious volume. He rightly emphasises the great influence exercised over Hearn by Theophile Gautier, whose adorable "Emaux and Camees" Hearn never tired of quoting, and quotes from Tone Noguchi (whose quaintly produced little book on Hearn is too little known) when ho says that in hie later work Hearn was more a Japanese than a European writer.

Another and yet more welcome addition to the series to which Mr Thomas’s volume on Hearn belongs, is entitled “J. M. Synge and the Irish Dramatic Movement," by Francis Biokley (Constable's "Modem Biographies” series). Since Synge’s death, at a lamentably early age, the quality of his work, especially his' plays, has ’become widely recognised and Mr Bickley’s Rttlo hook should be welcomed by many who have read the beautiful "Deirdre of the Sorrows," or the somewhat cruelly realistic "Playboy of tho Western World." After giving a very interesting account of Synge’s personality and literary career, Mr Bickley proceeds to deal with Yeats and others whose names hare become known in connection with what has been styled the Celtic Renaissance. In his "Ave" (of the "Hail and Farewell" trilogy), Mr George Moore has recently given his account of the Irish Theatre movement. Mr Bickley deals with the same subject from quite another viewpoint, and adds, too, some notes on some of the more notable of tho young Irish lyrists. This is nn exceptionally well-written and useful little volume. The price is the same as the Hearn volume, one and threepence. Each volume has for frontispiece a portrait of tho author dealt with.

Tho success achieved by that excellent compendium of British history for boys and girls, "Our Island Story." of which Mr H. E. Marshall was the nnthor, has no doubt prompted the writing, by the same author, or a 'History of France" (Henry Frowde; Wellington, Whitcombs and Tombs and S. and W. Mackay). The remit is a handsome volume of the same format crown quarto, as that of Messrs Fletcher and Kipling’s “History of England,” which was so widely discussed last year. Mr Marshall begins with the ancient Gauls and carries the romanceladen narrative of French history up to tho end of the Franco-Prussian yar and the establishment, on a firm basis, of the Third Republic. The author has apparently, omitted no event of groat importance, and rightly pays tribute to the gallantly, the patriotism and many good nnalUies of the nation whose development from a state of barbarism to one nf tho highest forms of civilisation he has traced with such skill and good taste.

Tliis i- a -historical work which should bo worth, to an intelligent, decently educated hoy or girl, a good half score’of the more or less sesational talcs or thinly disguised doses of ‘ popular science’’ of

which publishers produce such a large number annually, and in view of the continued popularity of the entente cordial© the work is very welcome. A special feature of the book is the long series of fine coloured illustrations reproduced from tho spiritedly drawn orginals of A. C. Michael. The artist has been singularly successful in his choice of subjects, and the colour printers have ably seconded his efforts. This stout and handsome volume, with ibs_ fine, hold print, excellent pictures, and its effective cover design into which the figure of Joan of Arc is appropriately introduced, is published at Ts fid—a very reasonable price considering what must havo been die heavy cost of production. Several new periodicals will, it is said, make their appearance during the present year. According to "A Man of Kent" in "The British Weekly," "Bunch" is again to be challenged by a rival. Also, there is to be a new weekly church paper “which will represent advanced opinion alike in theology and social reform." The title suggested is "The Challenger." Socialist weekly, supported by Mr and Mrs Sidney Webb and Air George Bernard Shaw, is also talked of, and social reforms will also be a leading feature in the programme of yet a third weekly, to bo edited by Mrs Olivo MoKirdy. How the meanings of certain words change in the course of time. From the latest section (“Xi-Tombac”) in the New English Dictionary, I learn that "a tippler” was originally a man who kept a tap, and the 'tobacconist" a smoker of tho weed. Some of ray readers may remember Miss Ethel M. Dell’s striking story, "The Way of an Eagle," published early last year in Fisher Unwin’s "First NovelLibrary.” I see that no fewer than thirteen editions of this novel have been culled for, and the book is still in great demand. Unwin's announce a second novel, "The Knave of Diamonds,” from the same pen. An ex-Wellington journalist, now residing in what Mr Glover calls "my beautiful city of Auckland," writes me as follows;—Dear "Liber,"—l noticed in ono of your recent weekly instalments of sheer delight to bookmen, a story of a bookseller who knew no other "Omer” than he who is credited with the "Iliad." A very similar experience occurred to me the other day. I called at niy favourite bookshop, but my own especial salesman—one of the few men in this town who does not sell books as he might so many pounds of cheese —could not be found. However, X presented myself at the counter and asked. "Have you a 'Clarissa Harlowe?’" The reply was staggering, "Well, 1 am sure we have had some of her works, but I am afraid we are out of them just at present.” In years of book-buying, I have not come across anything quite so bad as that.— "G.F.H. My Auckland correspondent’s experience reminds mo of that of a Wellington gentleman, a prominent figure in tho local book-trade. Taking a well earned spell after the busy Christmas season he was about to return north from Dunedin. In the southern city some one had recommended him to read Miss McNaugh ton’s clover story, ''A Lame Dog s Diarv.’’ Repairing to a bookshop he asked for tho book. The young lady assistant looked puzzled for a moment, and then answered, “Well, we’ve Collins’s diaries and Whitoombe’s diaries, but wo don’t stock any comic diaries!" "L.E.” writes ns follows: Dear "Libor,”—ln last week’s "literary page” I noticed particularly your comment upon the "Red Page’s" criticism of John Galsworthy’s hook. - Now, curiously enough, that critique coincides in several points with one in the December "English Review,” which has just come to hand: if I remember rightly, the "English Review’’ says, too, that these essays are on the whole perhaps a little “thin.” I suppose we may take it for granted that this .particular periodical has published some of the finest work produced recently in Britain, including some of Galsworthy’s; that is, some of the subtlest. And I think it is this style of work which the average man, and tho more than average man, is prone to consider a trifle thin. I don’t say that there are not quite a lot of us who don’t think so, but I do say that tho "Red Page” is hardly to bo considered thirsting for red, red, blood when it suggests that many will fail to appreciate the almost too fine writing wo shall probably find this volume to contain. I am in all peace and goodwill, thankfully yours. [My correspondent has evidently misunderstood the ‘Ted blood” allusion.— “Liber.”]