A GOSSIP ABOUT SOME RECENT FICTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8349, 8 February 1913, Page 10

A GOSSIP ABOUT SOME RECENT FICTION

What was last year’s actual crop ot novels I cannot say, but the output during the English winter season ahum must be something quite stupendous. To recount the plot, to criticise at any length the style of the many novels I Uave rereceutiy read is forbidden by the inexorable limits of space. It must suffice to dwell briefly and as pithily as possible with their Salient features, so that my readers, especially those in the country districts, may be assisted in their choice. , First this week a few words as to twe new volumes iu Methueuls Colonial Library (per Whitconube and Tombs). One rarely gets a poor UoVol from Messrs Methuen, ftnd in Mftt Belloc Lotviidea’s “Mary Pochell," and Mr John Oxenham’s “Quest of tlio Golden Rose,” wo have two stories, notably the former, which aro particularly, well written. . The rivalry, for the love of sweet Mary Pechell, ono of the most charming of the many charming heroines to whom Mrs Belloc Lowndes has introduced ns, of Richard Caryil, a wealthy man with a rathbr ugly past, and the jealous, suspicious, and implacably unforgiving John Hyman, makes a . good plot, but to many readers tlio clou of the book is tho deillghtfnl love story'“of' the 'eldei-ly spinster, Miss Rose Charuwood. Also .in this book, so rich in character drawing, there is a sharp-tongued, surface-world-ly, but kind hearted old old aristocrat. Lady Susan, who is almost worthy ot Thackeray. Double star “Mary Pechell’’ on your next list. Mr Oxenham is a born story-teller, and ih “The Quest of tho Golden Rose” he has placed some well drawn and attractive characters against a voty picturesque background—that of the Italian Alps. By an act of almost ufaspeakable treachery a rising young lawyer sends to his death the tnan who had robbed him, in fair encounter, of the woman both loved, and then marries the widow, only but a few days later ,to sea ths villainy he had deemed hidden for life disclosed through a quite simple coincidence. Tho tragedy of Godfrey Poliak's crime has. a pleasant contrast in the quite idyllic love story of a middle-aged English pirofessor and the young daughte, of a Swiss mountain guide. The local colour of the story is delightfully fresh and attractive. As a complete change let us turii how to two naw “Americans." These are Thomas Dlxott’s ‘‘The Sins of the Fathers” (Appleton, per George. Robertson afad Co.), and; Alice Hegan Rice's “A Romance of Billy-Goat Hill” (Hpdder and Stoughton, per S. and W. Mackay). Mr Dixon’s story , is full-blooded, nighly senfeationo.u anti intensely dramatic. A romance it is called, but it is rather an unflinchingly realistic "problem story," a story in which the negro question, u. one of its most unpleasant, most forbidding phases, is placed before the reader in fictional forth. If you want to realise what the race question means to the South, road, Mr Dixon's book. The theme ir, a daring one, the call of • tlio Beast through a woman of the lowest race to a man of culture and refinement of tho highest. Mr Dixon shows how a man, pledged heart aha soul to maintainihg the purity of the while race, becomes through mere weakness of the flesh the destroyer of his own and his son’s happiUfesS. It is a big book, a tragic book, a “gripping" book, to use ah adjective much in favour with our American cousins. an ugly book, but, so it is tho author would us believe, a book which shows all too clearly tho horrors which may arise from even a temporary mating ox tU© whites and ttie negro race. Personally, I think that the novelist treats the octoroon who wrecks Dan Norton’s life somewhat unfairly. .It would he interesting to have, say, Mr Booker Washihgton’s opinion ’on the almost demoniacally vindictive Cleo. From tho author of "Mrs "VViggs of liis Cabbage Path’’ ohe naturally expects comedy, and comedy is uppermost in Alice 'Hegan Rico's “Romance of Billy Goat Hill." But this time Mrs Rico mingles pathos with merrymaking, and before “Miss Lady, her heroine, is finally mated to the sweetheart of her youth, the dashing young Donald Morley, each has a long row of trouble and sorrow to hoe. The over sportive Donald gets mixed up iu a row in a saloon, and is suspected, quite wrongly, of a murder. He bolts to California, and poor “Miss Lady,” otherwise Miss Darsey, promises her proud old father never to see him ■ again until his name is Cleared. Colonel Darsey dies, Donald writes to explain matters, but “Miss Lady." faithful to her promises, destroys the letter and marries, without lore, an elderly mild-mannered, but utterly impossible old professor. ‘ In tho end the professor dies, Donald returns to see his name cleared’ by tho testimony of a juvenile protege of “Miss Rady's,” a dumb wastrel named Chick, whoso voice is restored as tho result of semi-miraculous operation. "Miss Lady” is a charming heroine, and there are several good minor characters and much amusing dialogue. But the cldetiv professor, as the husband ot a beautiful' young woman, should surely by this time lie given a well deserved rest by our novelists.

Throe novels, essentially latter day iu tone, mar be grouped together. These are “Caviare.” hy Grant Richards (London, Grant Richards; per George Robortson and Co:); “The Sporting Distinct.” by "Martin Swaync (Rodder and Sioagblon; per S. and IV. Mackay); and ‘‘The Unbearable Bassington,’- by H. H. Mun-

ro (John Lane: per Whitcombe and Tombs). "Caviare.” whose author, by the way, is a well-known publisher, lias ueen well received by English revisers, and by English naders (it is now. 1 see, m its fourth edition). It relates the adventures, principally in I arts, at Monte Carlo, and in New Xork, ot the Hon. Charles Caerleon. otherwise the “Amiable Charles,” a handsome and goodnature!, and decidedly sophisticated idler, who loves a good dinner and a “little flutter,” and is specially susceptible to the charms of beanty m distress, indeed of beauty under any circumstances. Mr Richards tells us, in an easy going, highly amusing narrative, how tho Amiable Charles rescues a beauteous American young lady from annoyance in a Parisian restaurant, hpw no rescues another young lady, this time ot Gallic birth, from a blackmailer in a Montmartre night cafe, how he gambies—and wins—at Monte Carlo; how he journeys to New York and makes a coo! million (sterling, not dollars) on '»all street through a timely tip given him by the Gallic lady aforesaid, and how lie ends up by making --o greater part ot the million over tne now "dead, broke parent of the American maiden, equally aforesaid, and thus wins the hand of the lovely Alison Gorham. A good natured, high spirited, quite jolly story is Caviare. ’ For tho Monte Carlo scenes alone it is well worth reading.

Martin Sway lie’s latest novel, “Tho Sporting Instinct," marks a distinct advance by the clever young author , of “Lord Richard in the Pantry." Tho leading figure is a Mrs Ellershaw, who is cursed with one of the most stupid and selfish husbands I have happened across in recent fiction, loses her tortune, and has to retire from the joys of “county society" to a highly prosaic, not to say dreary existence ih a little seaport town. Though in her late thirties the lady is still very attractive, and it is gall ami wormwood to her that a lover of her youthful days, a retired military officer, should decide to marry a pretty but characterless ingenue, instead of condemning himself to an existence of perpetual philandering with his old sweetheart. A second gentleman, elderly, hut very wealthy, offers “distractions” as the French put it, bnt tho lady’s virtue is superior even tb her disgust with her downfall from a life ot wealth and ease, and so the story ends with but a gray outlook for tho poor creature. Mr Swayne is apt to sacrifice too much to epigram, but the hook is a telling satire upon the utter fertilitv of tho life led by the English upper middle class.

In “The Unbearable BaSsingtolt,” Mr H. H. Munro (“Saki”) well sustains his reputation as a Satirist of modern society. Herd again, as in Mr Sway no’s story, aro some striking pictures of the easy-going life of the idle rich —or nominally rich. Cbiniis Bassingtdn is a failure at college, and rejoices in the fact; he makes no effort to carve dii.t a career, he is pleasant, well-mannered indifference, and elegant laziness personified. Hia greatest offence in the eyes of liis mother, a lady passionately devoted to her collection of art treasuros-r-if to nothing or nobody else—is that Its throws away the chance of making a rich marriage. In the end ho goes out to West Africa, refuge of neei'-do-weels, and there, too, fails. : There too, he dies, pool fellow, whilst the mother whoso combined selfishness and sheer stupidity had made him an exile is doubly stricken in tho loss of a son for whom hter belated affection is now atotlsed, and tho news that her most cherished "old master” is in reality a forgery. Hardly a page is there lit tho story .that does not enshrine some telling epigrahi, some masterly touch of cultured .satire. Indeed to hi any people “Saki’s” stylo may seem almost too designedly clever. But as a picture of certain phases of Ifitter day English life, it must rank very high itided. ', ,