BOOKS ANO BOOKMEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 65

BOOKS ANO BOOKMEN.

A new “ History of Scarborough,” written by various contributors under the editorship of Mr Arthur Rowntree, is about to be published. There are chapters by Professor A. Hamilton Thompson, Professor A. J. Grant, Dr R. E. M. Wheeler, and Mr R. G. Collingwood, as well as by the editor and others, and a hundred illustrations.

Mr A. Hyatt Verrill has a new book nearly ready entitled “ Secret Treasure: Hidden Riches of the British Isles.” The scope of the author’s historical survey covers the concealment of jewels, money, church relics, and the like; and includes accounts of such riches as those lost in the Spanish galleons of the Armada.

The* story of “ Jean Cavalier,” by Arthur Page Grubb, a footnote to French history recording the Camisard. revolt, and the part played in it by the baker’s boy who became its leader at seventeen, and died at 55 the English Governor *bf Jersey, will soon be published. The book is illustrated.

A new book by Dr T. R. Glover, entitled “ Anno Domini: The World of the New Testament,” written' with the object of enabling the ordinary reader to realise something of the society and everyday life in which the early Church found itself is soon to appear.

“ The Diary of Peter Bussell,” edited by his great-grandson, G. A. Turner, is about to be published. Bussell, on February 22, TBO6, sailed from Weymouth in his trading sloop, the Dove, bound for London. He was chased, boarded, and captured, almost within hail of the Isle of Wight, by a daring French privateer. He was taker to Cherbourg, and marched with other British civilian prisoners to the internment camp at Arras, where he remained four years. He was afterwards transferred to another camp, and did not return to his home at Weymouth until 1814. During these eight years he kept a diary, and what is more, illustrated it with his own water-colour drawings. It is this diary, with its pictures, which is now published for the first time.

C. R. Leslie, R.A., did not make full use of his letters from his close friend John Constable in the memoir of that artist which he wrote in the ’forties of last century. The correspondence is be ing published in full for the first time in the collection which has been edite-1 by the biographer’s son, Mr Peter Leslie.

Gilbert White’s “ Journal,” only extracts from which have hitherto appeared,' and _these often inaccurate, is being published under the editorship of Walter Johnson. The only omissions are needless repetitions. The work is annotated throughout, and the introduction describes the vicissitudes of the diary which White kept regularly for 25 years', as vvell as White himself and his parish. A map is included indicating all the Selborne place-names that can now be identified by the editor.

Half England’s male population—and a fjiir sprinkling of its female population too —are now talking, thinking, and watching cricket. At this opportune out '* Cricket Up-To-Date, by that ’well-known authority on the game, Mr E. H. D. Sewell, for whom Lord

Hawke writes an Introduction. Its outspoken criticism on several controversial subjects, its chapters on the principles of the game, and its reminiscences from a .long and varied career, should make it extremely popular.

Dr Emil Ludwig’s new book, a life of the German archaeologist and explorer Heinrich Schliemann, has been based on the. family papers, including the long series of diaries and notebooks which Schliemann kept up to date from his twentieth year until the last year of his life. When, at the family’s request, the biographer went to Athens for this purpose he found two large presses full of volumes in Schliemann’s writing or arranged by him. All this had remained untouched for 40 years. The English edition of Dr Ludwig’s book, the German original of which has still to be published, is now to hand.

“ Swinburne,” by Professor Samuel Chew, is the latest estimate of the poet’s genius and achievement. With a fine appreciation and a balanced judgment, the distinguished American critic has worked for nearly 20 years to perfect this “ Life,” and the result is a critical study of extreme interest. Since up to now the tendency has been to concentrate almost entirely on Swinburne’s lyrical and narrative verse, Professor Chew has devoted considerable space to an analysis of the tragedies and prose writings.

“ Red Dust,” by Donald Black, is an illustrated account of the War on the Palestine front as experienced by an Australian trooper. With it is coming from the same publishers a book entitled “ Britmis,” in which Major Phelps Hodges tells the story of the Allied intervention in Siberia immediately after the Armistice. The author served with the British Military Mission (“Britmis”), and becoming involved in a retreat while acting as liaison officer with the Orenburg Cossacks, was forced to cross the Kirkghiz Steppe in mid-winter, finally reaching Peking after traversing the Gobi Desert and covering some 3000 miles in seven months.

“From My Private Diary,” the new book by Daisy, Princess of Pless, is sure of instant welcome and discussion. In it this charming, witty, and outspoken lady, who has known half the famous personalities of Europe, reveals her most private thoughts about them. The princess’ previous volume of reminiscences, “ Daisy of Pless,” by herself, was an enormous success, and quickly ran through six large impressions. Her new book, which consists of extracts from her actual . diary, and covers entirely new ground, will be found even more delightfully personal, amusing, clearsighted, and interesting than the last.