THE CHINA MAIL, MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1935
LITERARY NOTES.
RECENT NOVELS
REVIEWED
SATIRE POLITICS & MYSTERY
PROMISING FIRST WORK OF
AUSTRALIAN WRITER
it well, an' it'ull treat thee well. Land's real. Land do bide put... English land cain't goo buck on a man."
A. G. Macdonell has produced, in "How Like an Angel," a humorous; story on the lines of his "England; Their England," with certain dif- ferences of theme and in treatment. There were difficulties. Jim first) His Arst extravaganza was a Scot's had to make money, and then over- Leye view of Englishmen and English come the prejudices of a Victorian institutions. In this new book he squirearchy against prospective Jets us see what Western civilisation tenants who did not come of un-1 looks like to a person who has noth diluted farming stock. His career! ing more than a theoretic and as apprentice to a small-town grocer] idealised knowledge of it. The first most attractive character this section a pity it is so short-des-one-and then as proprietor of his eribes how Hugo Smith as a baby own store, makes good reading, Was wrecked on a desert island with Eventually, Jim becomes Farmer three Protestant missionaries. an Horton, and we follow his vicissi Englishman, a German, and studes on the land until the outbreak | Frenchman. These three worthy of the war. Mr. Street's unqualified men attended to Hugo's upbringing championship of his sturdy hero obscurity will find, however, that it and education with scrúpulous. "de-becomes a shade too obvious at is one of the author's most impres- voted care, each filling his mind with times, but there is pleasure for sive stories to date, though not su roay pictures of civilisation as they many readers in this agreeable, readable as "Morning Tide." (Por- had known it, and preparing him for ably-written tale, which reveals the poise Press). the day of his repatriation. A de-fauthor's knowledge of and love for lightful interlude this, and, one sorry when Hugo, by now a grown! *Dunn, contrives to reach England:
is the English countryside. (Faber.)
Germany Since The War
proclamation
is
The convicted Bruno Hauptman coaches his wife on her testimony a few minutes before she takes the witness stand' is an unsuccessful effort to save her husband from New Jersey's electric chair.
Humours Of Hunting
It would seem that T. H. White's
"Earth Stopped" has been written
THE THRILLERS OF EDGAR WALLACE
Still A Best Seller
WORK CARRIED ON BY HIS CHILDREN
ANTIQUITIES OF CRETE
Palace Of Minos At Knossos
SIR ARTHUR EVANS' GREAT WORK COMPLETED
H. K Philharmonic Society
(Continued from Page 9)
their responsibility This list is of course not exhaustive but here are Mrs. Bowes-Smith- was the a few Mrs Groundwater, Mr." soprano soloist. She has taken the Alexander, Miss Hunt, Alts. Mather, sonrano solos for many years for Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Starling, Miss the Society and one has heard her Bicheno, Mr. Himsworth, Mr. on many occasions with the greatest Richards. and Mr. Peckham, tok pleasure. I did not however think There is no greater joy than the the eulos sulted her on this ocen-making of music for its own sake. sion in the very least. Here is these days of wireless and voice that is most effective where canned music the future of musie only brilliance is required and thus depends not on the professional but her forward tone and rather on the amateur. Let all honour etaccato manner of singing natural be given to those who give of their ly did not make for expressive treat-time and talents to this end ment of the very poignant accura Ai E. L depicting the "Death of Minne- haha,"
The solo "Spring has come" in Part III was shore in her
stylo and she was much better in
this.
A New Tenor
Mr. J. A. Kennedy was asked on
POLICE RESERVE
Orders for the Current Week
Chinese Company Morse Signalling
Monday last to tackle a most dit- Orders by the Hon. Mr. T. H. ficult task and did it splendidly. King, Inspector General of Police. He was handicapped in the "Onaway awake" solo by the, slow
Class--All time in which it was taken (it is members of the Morse Signalling marked 120 to the crotchet); but Class will attend at the Chinese. nevertheless he sang with great Company Headquarters on Wednes-, credit to himself. "His top notes day, March 13 at, 17.30 hours for were especially good.
instruction.
Mr. W. H. Billing, the Bass Bolo- Inspection" Parade.—All ranks of ist, gave a straightforward, honest the Chinese Company, will parade interpretation. One la glad to find at Central Police Station on Thurs singers in the Colony who are able day, March 21 at 17.30 hours under and willing to take part in our con-[Sub Inspector R. J. Hunt for a gen- certs. He is to be congratulated on eral inspection of equipment, etc., hia singing.
by the Company Commander. Dress The lack of imagination andBlue. Uniform, Cap with White absence of interpretation was made Cover, Belt with Brace, Armlet all the more acute when one heard with Badge, Truncheon, "Pocket the glorious singing of the chair: Policeman" and note-book to be Full marks to the sopranos! The carried,, The Equipment Officer on the assumption that everyone Leo Lania opens his "Land of believes hunting people in England;
contraltos, too, were really goodwill make a point of being présent. Hugo Smith has the misfortune to
translation of
I am always symathetic with good.... Indian Company fall in love with a Hollywood film Promise" with n
to be fundamentally, ridiculous. Mr. Edgar Wallace's adventure star, and becomes a member of her Ludendorf's proclamation of 1910. Maybe they are; especially if they and detective thrillers are still "best Sir Arthur Evans issued the first take second place although they are the Indian Company will parade at Twelve years have passed since contraltos; they always appear to Inspoetion Parade. All ranks of entourage during her triumphal addressed "To My Dear Jews
of happen to be as vacuous and stupid sellers nearly three years after his The So his Poland," progress througli Europe. first glimpse of the wonders of the quoted as saying: "Our banners assume that hard-riding nitwits only that, but the sales are still the discovery that will always be There were only seven tenors and under Sub Inspector R. J. Hunt for as Mr. White's characters. But to death, on February 7, 1932. Not volume of his monumental survey of us important as the sopranos. Central Police Station on Wednes- Leaven Of The Chair......... day, March 20 at 17.30 hours under Western world reveals to him the bring you right und liberty. equal must necessarily be funny whenever increasing, and in 1934 were con-associated with his name. The they did splendidly. Naturally a general inspection of equipment- senseless extragance of the grandees right of citizenship. liberty for your they open their mouths is quite an aiderably higher than in the pre-Palace of Minos at Knosson." Early their tone was never properly re- etc., by the Company Commander. of filmland, the crazy publicity upon faith, liberty for all inbour in all other matter. Occasionally the un-vious year. which they thrive, and the whole branches of economic and intellec-enlightened layman may perceive the
this year, some 40 years after the vealed as they fought an uneven Dress Blue Uniform, Cap with A member of the firm of Edgar beginnings of the author's explora- battle all the evening to make Cover, Belt. with Brace, Armlet system of sentimental bumbug cal-tual life according
On the strength of this, pages of mystifying babbling, as which are
elements of humour shining through Wallace Ltd., the shareholders oftion, Macmillan's hope to have themselves heard above the general with Badge, Trunchoon, "Pocket spirit." culated to enchant a besotted popu
Mr. Wallace's four ready the fourth and final volume, fortissimo. lace. Other discoveries come later. Follah Jews flock into Germany, the when Lord Hardup makes himself children, and which has acquired all in two parts, devoted to "A Com the singing of the basses, True carried.
I thoroughly enjoyed Policeman" and note-book to be The Equipment Officer. until Hugo decides he has been let land of promise, and we follow the affable to a commercial traveller: the rights in the author's literary parative Account of the Successive their diction might have been will make a point of being present. Inose in Bedlam. is final disillas-experiences of a certain family from
"What do you travel in?" asked work for publication, drama and Stages of the Early Cretan Civiliss-improved and top notes covered but Emergency Unit Reserve ionment occurs at Lord's, where the Ukraine who selfie in Berlin,
Timothy, always anxious to put slms, said yesterday that the sales tion as Illustrated by the Dia-they were good and worked man Instructions: In Search Fatrol and Hugo, having found a place in the until they suffer persecution
himself au fait with commercial all over the world were higher. coveries at Knossos." This de- fully.
will take place at the Sailors' Home English XI., innocently puts into banishment through Nazi violence.
problems. The treatment of Jews in Ger-
Each of the "Sanders of the scribes and illustrates whole series Perhaps it would be wiser to and Seamen's Institute on Friday, practice what a cricketing mis-
"Wheelbarrows."
River" series, Mr. Wallace's early of discoveries throwing unexpected mention no names but one cannot March 16 at 17.30 hours. All mem- sionary had taught him as a boy: many is, however, only one aspect
"But you can't travel far in adventure stories, sells to the extent light on many mysteries, the com-resist a word of praise to a small bers are requested to be present. "When in doubt pat five men on the of this competent novel.
wheelbarrow," protested Timothy of several thousand copies each year plete work now forming an author- body of singers who were obviously
** D. L. KING, leg-side and bowl at the leg stump." Lanta also reviews broadly the poll-
"Really it takes a bit of believing."in Great Britain alone. "The Itative encyclopaedia of Minoan art acting as leaven to the choir.
D.S.P. (R.); The result is a riot, a lecture fortical development of Germany sinco
the Armistice, describing the revo
"He's a salesman," said Aggle Squeaker" and "The India-rubber and culture, with Knossos emerging These were of the few who watched "Hong Kong, Monday, March 11, Hugo from a furious
in a stage whisper.
Man" sell between 15,000 and us the true Mother of Mycenae, the conductor and fully realised 1985. Dominions Secretary, and light lution, the republican' era, the period
"But you can't sail a wheel- 20,000 each, and the British sales of back to the desert island. (Macf inflation, the rise of the Na
barrow."
many others are over 10,000 in a millan).
More often, however, the "jokes" year.
Georgian House
and h-lesa
to your OWE
Hotr
tional-Socialists, and the immorality
of Berlin society during post-war are far from being easy to elucidate. Many of the stories are still being years. The political background Altogether, it would seera that asorialised and translated into for- "Maryplace," by Jessie. Urquhart, seems more important than the pup: specialised knowledge of the men-eign languages. One of Mr. Wal- has its setting in the oldest and bet characters, who fight. a losing tality of huntin' and shootin' addicts face's novels has just been translat most picturesque town in New battle against the enemies of part is necessary before tackling this ed into Russian, and there is a South Wales," where the dignified fism, intellectual freedom, and racial
book. (Collins). Georgian mansion of the Gane equality (Lovat Dickson). family is a source of local pride.
The story begins with
the
Operatic Tenor
STORY OF TIME OF CHARLES II
"Devil Kinsmere”
FINE, SWASHBUCKLING TALE OF ADVENTURE.
•
"Devil Kinsmore's" history is, as
steady sale for them in Czecho- Mental Hospital
slovakis and Poland, where transla- My difficulty," says one of the tions have existed for some years. Built at the beginning of the 19th The picturesque hero of Marie brain specialista of "Privata The French and Americans read. as century, it had provided an appro- Bjelke-Petersen's "Silver Knight" Worlds," Phyllis Botteme's story of many of his, thrillers as before. priate background for the routs and sings magnificently to his lady mental hospital "is to make up A film is now being made of one assembles of the period, hospitality whenever he goes a wooing, so that my mind what, we mean by sanity.of the novels, and it is expected being dispensed on a grand scale he appears to have an unfair ad-When you come right down to it, that a number of others will follow. Hare the Gane sisters, a hundred vantage over less vocal rivals. But, who Is sane? I'm sane part of the years later, had been drilled yes it happens, the lady in qucation time, but mad as a hatter the rest; their formidable mother in the be is a social snob, and even operatic and so are most people I know. haviour befitting nice. girls of good tenore cannot compete in her affec- How do you spot the difference?" family. Mrs. Gaue maintained that tions with those who possess broad The only difference that inquiring young women of breeding "should acres, many cars, and a settled poal-readers will "spot" between Miss walt demurely at home for the com-tion among the heaven-born. The Bottome's psychiatrists and their ing of that mythical creature known impassioned tenor has to work over-patients is that the latter are certi as Mr. Right.". Beyond that,ime with his serenades before the fied and the former not. Thore feminine enterprise should go
no stony-hearted lady begins to relent. members of the hospital's resident further.
(Hutchinson; Dymock's)."
staff presented for our attention Exodus From The Glens Beem surprisingly unbalanced. hoth mother's death, leaving the sisters Neil M. Gunn's purpose, in "But because they take themselves too the publishers say, "a fine swash- with Maryplace and a tiny income. cher's Broom," is to reconstruct the seriously, and because they are in buckling yarn" of the court of Charles II In the year 1670, which How they fared is the subject of an life of a village community in the capable of adjusting their private gains in pace and picturesqueness exceptionally good Australian novel, Scottish Highlands about a century relationships satisfactorily. The in which the life of a gossiping and a half ago. He achieves his heroine, for instance, cherishes her by being placed in the mouth of an aged grandson, who tells the wild small town has been admirably sug end admirably. The Sutherland platonic friendship for a married story to his family, assembled round gested and the characters shrewdly clansmen of the story have adjusted doctor until the latter's wife la him in the andous days of early ..drawn. Each one of these sisters themselves to the state of affairs brought near to death in an anguish June, 1815.
comes to life, and the tragedy of existing since the 1715 upheaval; of jealousy. Yet it must not b The old fellow, the author tells their fate has beer worked out com and, although they believe their thought that this is a morbid novel us, has sprinkled the narrative with passionately and with quiet under- overlords made a bad bargain, they in spite of its setting. Modern anachronions and inventions of his standing. Miss Urquhart has preserve their ancient loyalty to the methods of treating mental sickness own, this ingenious method of chosen a small canvas, and has per cian spirit. They live simply, even are touched on only incidentally, Story-within-story allows licence to fected every detall with admirable graciously, and with more gay in while the bulk of the story concerns the writer without straining the assurance. She takes her place at terludes in their days of toil than the hospital staff, their friendanine reader's credulity. Bygones Abra once as an Australian Boyclist of the southerner is usually led to sus and love affairs. It may be said hams, the "comic relief" character undoubted quality. (Nicholson and pect. Into the peaceful glens comes, without intentional dippancy that common in historical, romance, Is Watson).
first, the call to arms, when all able the author has approached a difflwell done. bodied young men march off to play cult theme very sanely and Intelli- their part in the wars againat gently, (Lane, Dymock's); Mystery And Horror
A Wiltshire Farmer
"The Endless Furrow," A. G. Napoleon. Next comes another, and Street has no dealings with modern more general exodus, when the popu More than 60 stories by eminent methods of novel writing. His puration of large districts is swept writers. find their place, In the third pose is to unfold a simple tale of away to make room for shoep. series of "Great-Short Stories of simple people, and he does it excal This aspect of the novel the Detection, Mystery, and Horror, Jently. The hero is Jim Horton, the Highland evictions of the late 18th stout volume running to 10721 bright-eyed son of a Wiltshire vil- and early 19th centuries has been Miss Dorothy L Sayers lage innkeeper, who develops a hun- treated with praiseworthy detach
Austen:
rger for land early in life, and longs ment. It seems unfortunate that
to be a farmer. Jim's grandmother the theme, being a conventional
cama of farming stock, and eagerly group and not very clearly drawn, you flourished" the boy'a ambition to The prolixit of Mri n's writing possess broad acres d
is also a drawback. Those who rink
Gif land, Jimmy boy, an treat the novel's werdiness and occasional
every one of them."
We are assured by Miss Sayers relying upon any friend she has herself horrid them
Crofts.
The
Three Castles"
Virginia Cigarettes
"Famous for
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over
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