Books Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 14

Books Reviewed

LIFE AFTER DEATH DECAUSE a beneficient spiritual world has become the ultimate reality to Sir Oliver Lodge, the veteran physicist has written a lucid book affirming his belief in the certainty of life after death. His faith, indeed, is the faith that breaks down phantom walls, if it canont yet remove mountains. And the scientist does no) rest content with the acceptance of fleeting evidence as to the possibility of survival after death; he asserts that he has received indubitable proof of the persistent continuity of individual personal existence. To him it is not death, but earth-life that is the great adventure. "It is

this earth-life that has been the strange and exceptional thing. The wonder is that we ever succeeded in entering a matter body at all. Many fail. . . . We are incarnations; we have entered into matter, and yet we retain some connection with the spirit world, with the real world, where we are more at home than we are here. Thus occur visions, intuitions, even the ‘direct voice,’ all manner of phenomena such as we are gradually becoming acquainted w ith, as the ancients were” (Cf. 1 Samuel iii„ 8; Matthew iii., 17; John xii., 29; Acts ix., .7; and Numbers xxiv., 16, and Acts. x. for lucidity in a state of trance). It is to be noted with interest that Sir Oliver Lodge has not been perturbed by Sir Arthur Keith’s assertion that the soul or mind of man is like unto the flame of a candle, which, being lit. displays itself by certain visible behaviour, and then goes out and ceases to be. This snuffing-out theory “is just the sort of idea that would appeal to an anatomist.” But what is light? Not something in the candle, but something which emanates from the caudle, and goes away into space; something different from matter, though associated with it. The “soul” of the candle goes into space, and will go on for ever. “When the beacon fires were lighted all over England, in the reign of Elizabeth, to give notice of the approach of the Armada, those fires in due time went out, and left nothing but dust and ashes, to all appearance. But they had done their work. . . . Their illumination the important thing, is going on still. An astronomer could reckon how far those beams have now travelled. They have not been obliterated, they are coursing through space still- —just as we see the light of a distant star which has been travelling for 800,000 years before It reaches our eye.” Therefore the candle illustration suggests, rather than negatives, the immortality of tlie. soul. For all the different groups of persons who either accept or reject immortality, or do not bother about it at all, so long as earth-life means a gay time, this profound book of a philosopher as w-ell as a foremost scientist has a mesage. And it holds a warning for spiritualists, and those who risk madness in trifling with the living dead. For himself. Sir Oliver Lodge, before going “upstairs” (a quaint view of death), declares his belief that “death releases us from the burden of the flesh, Introduces u 3 to the glorious company of those who have gone before, and opens out a majestic panorama of love and service.” “Phantom Walls,” by Sir Oliver Lodge. Hodder and Stoughton, Limited, London. Our copy co.mes from Air. W. S. Smart, the publishers' represeiftative In Sydney. The Art of Meryon Some time ago the editor of "Art in New Zealand” promised his readers a special number illustrative of the work of Charles Meryon, the French etcher, whose early association with New Zealand —he made a voyage to Akaroa on the corvette Le Rhin, in IS42 —has given added interest to a career that is eminently worthy of New Zealanders’ attention apart from that association. Meryon, although fame came to him posthumously, has been termed the father of modern etching. “Charles Meryon in Silhouette” is the title of one of the articles In this number. It is by Dora Wilcox (Mrs. William Moore) and contains interesting biographical details. “The Art of Charles Meryon” is another, written with a view to assessing the position of Meryon in the world cf art and discussing his work from many angles. Incidentally, the derogatory remarks of Mr. Joseph Pennell have not been overlooked. Tlie edkor has reproduced the famous etchings of New Zealand—“La Chaumiere du Colon Vieux-Soldat,” Seine-Fishing at Akaroa, Granaries and Dwellings, The Settlement at Akaroa and some of the South Sea Island sketches. Here, also, are the famous “Le Stryge,” the vampire gargoyle; “The Morgue,” one of the world’s perfect etchings; “The Apse, Notre Dame,” and ail etched portrait of Meryon by Bracquemond. The letterpress includes "A Survey of Chamber Music” by John Bishop, a delightful review of three volumes of New Zealand verses by Prester John, poems by Gwen E. Merrett and John Dene, and the quarter's art notes. Mr. Gerald Jones, of Auckland, is represented by a camera study, “Raga Canoe,” and Mrs. Lucretia Johnson contributes her colourful “Frimley,” an old-world garden filled with brilliant spikes of coloured blooms. Other colour plates ere p. K. Richmond’s “Mount Sefton,” silver and grey-blue, A. F. Nicoll’s fine study

f of a section of the rugged coastline j near Kaikoura, and an interesting i piece of work, a decorative cupboard ! door in oil on stained Oregon pine, i “Christ at the Well of Samaria;” by ! R. N. Field, A.R.C.A., of Dunedin, j “Art in New Zealand.” March number. Our copy from the publishers, Harry IT. Tombs, Ltd., 22 Wingfield Street, Well- | ington. “Wanderlust” The first number of the “Wanderlust Magazine” is an excellent production, on the lines of the famous “National Geographic” of America. “Wanderlust,” however, is devoted to “the spreading of knowledge of Australia, New Zealand and the countries under their control.” Vol. 1, No. 1, contains striking colour plates of the Tasman Glacier and flowers at Mount Cook, of Mount Sefton and the Copeland Pass; illustrating an Interesting article by the well-known journalist and mountaineer, Mr. Malcolm Ross, F.R.G.S. Mr. T. Crosbie Walsh writes of the gannets at White Island. Mr. A. H. Messenger (Government Publicity Department) of “The Storied Northland,” and Miss Elsie K. Morton, of “The Loveliest Road in New Zealand.” Each of these articles is admirably illustrated. The whole appearance of the magazine is most attractive, and for its educative value alone it may be commended to all who take an interest in their own land.

“Wanderlust Magazine.” Our copy from the publishers, Wanderlust Magazine, Ltd., P.O. Box 1245, Auckland. Blade Matches Blade

A story of romantic France in the brave and courtly days when men cloaked their passions with line phrases but slaked their hates with cold steel is “En Garde!” which comes to .join the ever-lengthening ranks of the light historical novel. “Ehi Garde!” is a brisk, entertaining tale making up in its rapidity of movement for anything that is lacking in depth. Its historical atmosphere is rather superficial except, possibly, for some hurried descriptions of old Paris, and the plot is slender, but the virile briskness that characterises the story as a whole compensates for a great deal. We meet Rene Saint-Hilaire, a young “master swordsman” who vows vengeance upon a crafty villain. This person has killed Rune’s friend in unfair fight. After a number of exciting adventures in which Rene exhibits admirable forbearance, thus allowing the fatal business to hang fire, as it were, for the requisite number of chapters, this vow is consummated. Clearly the author has made a close study of the technique of duelling (this, apparently, being the chief excuse for the period chosen for his tale) and his descriptions of sword-play together with its various forms and niceties are quite the best moments in his novel.

“En Garde!” by Samuel Morse. Cassell and- Company, Limited, London, Melbourne! and Sydney. Our copy direct from the publisher.

The Story of a Gentle Deception One of the interesting and entertaining personalities who emerged from the war was an Australian, Lance-Corporal Cobber, who enjoyed a vogue as the minstrel who put the spirit of Australian and New Zealand soldiers into swinging verse under the title, “The Anzac Pilgrim’s Progress.” This work appeared not very long a er British eyes had been bewildered and exhilarated by the first appearance of that martial phenomenon, the colonial fighting man. Though the Boer War had, fifteen or sixteen years earlier, shown that in the strapping specimens from the colonies the Empire had a new and valuable military asset, by 1915 the memory of that picturesque campaign had been lost in a more spectacular excitement, and it was left to the Gallipoli episode, with its sensational storming of the sternest defences, to demonstrate anew the fibre of Australian and New Zealand soldiers. Anzac awoke in Britain a new and livelier interest in the most distant of the Imperial domains, and the Old Country was in a receptive mood. Histories of their war efforts were published, glossaries of slang issued from the presses, “Australasia Triumphant,” by the author and poet, Mr. St. John Adcock, was published by Messrs. Simpkins ’iid Marshall; and then appeared Lan :e-Corporal Cobber. The eminent n.c.o. hailed from Toowoomba. At least, his Odyssey began from there. But there was no outback metrical looseness about those opening lines: “They say it’s in the papers, hut before the tcorcl* was there I saw it in the sky last night—l heard it in the air: The west was red as blood with it, an ’ When the night was stark A hoarse wind stirred the mnlga. shouting ‘War” across the dark.” It was apparent to discerning critics that here was a poet of no mediocre qualities. His comradely name undoubtedly concealed the identity of some well-known Australian poet. Who else could have so captured the atmosphere, and reproduced the Australian’s breezy vernacular? “An Anzac Pilgrim’s Progress” dealt in a dozen or so separate sections of varying length with the whole episode of Gallipoli, with its person-

alities, its incidents, its privations | and its humours. “This is as typic ally colonial as anything by Adan | Lindsay Gordon,” said one enthusias i tic reviewer. But still the blushing i lance-corporal remained cloaked ii | anonymity. Even a request from the compiler of a war anthology that he j give his real name to allow the in sertion in the anthology of two sped I men verses failed to draw the modest warrior from his hiding place. As a matter of painful fact, he was | not an Australian at all, but an EngI lish poet who had never been in AusI tralia. He was St. John Adcock, j author of the earlier prose record, “Australasia Triumphant.” If Mr. Adcock thought the exploits of the colonials on Gallixtoli sufficient inspiration for such a work, he did not misuse his theme. Even now, when it has been republished along with selections of Mr. Adcock’s other works his collected poems, “The Anzac Pilgrim’s Progress” shows its original freshness. It is good testimony to the success of the deception that Mr. Adcock was, as he now discloses, inundated with appreciative letters, mainly from Australians. As to his ingenuity—he got the flavour of the vernacular from one of those glossaries of Australian slang which were rushed off the presses and which did so much to facilitate soldiers’ wooings. The choice of Toowoomba as the birthplace of Lance-Corporal Cobber was purely accidental. Adcock had a friend and correspondent there before the war, and it was the first place that came to mind. Though “An Ahzac Pilgrim’s Progress” is, to New Zealanders, as it

will no doubt be to Australians, in some ways the most interesting part of his collected works, there is a great deal of other finely-wrought material ill the volume. There is a rather long, satirical poem, “The Divine Tragedy,” which shows a great depth of feeling and spiritual power.

Mr. Adcock looks at the world through sensitive eyes. He is alive to its subtle cruelties, its ironies, and yet through all his work shines a tender appreciation of its beauties. Never bound to orthodox verse forms, he shows here the wide range of his craftsmanship. The opening lines of one fine poem, “The Silence,” are worth quoting as a conclusion: • In the bleak twilight, when the roads are hoar, And mists of early morning haunt the down, His mother shuts her empty cottage door, Behind her, in the lone beyond the town. In those four lines alone is the imprint of unusually fine creative qualities. “Collected Poems of St. John Adcock.” Published by Hodder arid Stoughton, Ltd.. London. Our copy from the publishers' Sydney representative, Mr. W. S. Smart. The Birth of Christianity Miss Lilian Hayes has constructed round the life of Jesus a powerful and inspiring novel in which Biblical characters are given life and movement, while the scene of the birth cf Christianity is depicted with a skilful and effective touch. In “As He Passed” is gathered the result of profound study of Jewish life and customs nearly 2,000 years ago. Sustained throughout by a deep spiritual quality, and presented In admirable prose, marked by fine religious tenderness, this interesting novel has a unique position in the current literary output. "As JTe Passed,” by Lilian Hayes. Published by Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd., London. Our copy from the publishers. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED “The N.Z. Draper.”—March issue.