OUTBURST OF FORMER N.Z. MEDICAL MAN

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 31, 13 January 1939, Page 3

OUTBURST OF FORMER N.Z. MEDICAL MAN

Fierce Invective Launched Against Britain And — The Empire

ASTONISHING book called ‘*The Decline and Fall of the British Empire,’’ has just been published by Simon and Schuster, American publishing house. Its author is well known in New Zealand medicine. The most vehement book of the year, it consists of, 263 pages of denunciation of England and all things Finglish, her politics, smugmess, selfishness, morals-even er birth rate. Author of the book, Robert Briffault, was a student at Otago University medical school, Dunedin, some 40 years ago.

How Wnglish reviewers, with -their manner of fixed agreeable tolerance towards American books attacking England, will take ‘Mecline and Fall" will never be known, since it will not be published in England. Author Robert Briffault is already famous in-the literary world for a_ brilliant, best-seller novel "Huropa." Born in London 62 years ago, he studied and practised medicine in New Zealand, about 1897. Noted Wellington medical man told the "Record" that he well remembered Briffauit in his student days. . "Briffault was a striking looking man of a good deal. of reserve," said the médical man, "and different in his ways from the other students. "He was older than his fellow students, very clever and vivacious when you got to know him. ° is few intimates were very uch attracted by him." "ariffault was a very clever he said; would tell the. others, various experiences in .his

life. He was rather origina] in outlook and a man who thought along different lines from most of his contemporaries in the university. On ordinary questions Briffauit had rather a French outlook, approaching questions from the unorthodox angle. Said the medical man: "He had the French logic which to the Eng-lish-not so logical but with commonsense and insular shrewdness -makes many French arguments seem so convincing that you feel there must be a flaw in them somewhere. Briffault served in the war, was twice decorated by Britain. When the Munich Pact was signed, he returned his decorations to the King. One American reviewer says: Under its grand title and despite isolated passages of startling invective, "The Decline and Fall of the British Empire" seems petty, and its criticism is so indiscriminating that readers may fear Briffault would not like the English even if they were good. .