SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1931.
Books and
Authors
MAIL REVIEWS.
PLATO AND THE MODERN
WORLD.
[After Two Thousand Years: A
Dialogue between Plato and modern young man," by G. Lowes Dickinson; George Allen and Unwin, Ltd.; 6/- net.] "Plato's Britannia." freely ren- dered into English by Douglas Woodruff; Sheed & Ward, London; 6/- net,] One of the most extraordinary facts in the history of literature is the perennial interest in the writ ings and theories of a Greek named Aristocles, born about 427 B.C. He is better known to us by his nickname, Plato, the broad shouldered.
THE CHINA MAIL.
world for the average man seems to mean the destruction of the Idea!. The poet, the artist, and the philosopher are built more or less on slavery,
The
Mr. Woodruff's book is dedicated existences all over the world. to Ronald Knox-the same Rev. book shows how everyone pre- Father Ronald Knox, we believe, tends, how every one lives in a who has informed us that Roman deceptive mannor with a view to Catholics "will not shrink even attaining A position in local A Different Type.
from repressive measures in order society. Certain things are done, Plato's "Britannia" is a very to perpetuate the secure, dominion | certain people must be entertain- different type of book from Mr. of Catholic principles among their cd just because-well, just be- Lowes Dickinson's. It is disguised fellow countrymen." He lets the cause! guise of Plato on previous oc- propaganda. Some years ago Mr. cat out of the bag when he says,— casions.
Woodruff published a very amus-"when we (1.a. the Cathalies) de A Model of Plato's.
Ing little book, "Plato's "American mand liberty In the modern State Republic." It was cheap and we are appealing to its own prin- showed a good deal of humour. ciples, not to ours." This book is more than twice the So we may know what to expect. price (5/-), and falls very flat. The shadow of the inquisition and The fact of the matter is the the guillotine are over us now and author seems to have made a "right only wait till Father Ronald Knox about face" since then. This book and Co. get the power. is blatantly Roman Catholic pro- paganda. Socrates is made to talk dialogue pages of inept stuff such as Mr. to the Belloc publishes about "the ship
Mr. Lowes Dickinson many years ago published "A Modern Sym- posium," more or less on the model of the Symposium of Plato. It is in our opinion one of Mr. Dickin- son's most brilliant books, full of suggestiveness and breadth.
A
modern
The present volume is a very thoughtful eriticism of Platonic views in the form of a between Plato returned Elysian Fields and young man. Various subjects are brought up for discussion from forms of Government, to birth- control,.
education. These are not handled casually but with great lucidity and skill.
WAY,
and
One criticism of Plato which Mr. Dickinson brings up we should Ike to see enlarged upon. It is
"Philalethes-I will come out with it. If I could secure for the great mass of men such a measure
It has been often remarked on brought forward as rather a shock how the books of the New Testa-to Plato. The dialogue runs:- ment keep among "best sellers."
"Plato-What is this terrible But surely the interest in the writ-
confession 7"* ings of Plato is more remarkable still. For the New Testament is disseminated by organised re- ligious bodies and a Society whose special object is its sale: but the "works of Plato, three or four hundred years older than the books of the New Testament, have no
special organisation for their sale are still published in translation and text, and evan BOW And 11 select and learned group of wor- shippers.
Plato's writings have handed down to us an almost unique form of literary prose, the dialogue.
The very fact that his writings had not been surrounded by a special odour of sanctity like the Bible has made them a peer aubject of research and imitation than the Sacred Books, Modern writers venture even to copy his manner and methods without any feelings of sacrilege. Some like Prof. F. C. S. Schiller have done this with great skill (Cf. "Humanism" by Prof. Schiller).
The present writers whose books we have under review have both appeared before the public in the
of happiness, and could only secure it by sacrificing altogether what are called higher goods, I would consent to that sacrifice.
are
AN INTRODUCTORY HISTORY by
A. K. CROOK, O.B.E., M.A. W. KAY, MA.
W. L. HANDYSIDE, MA, B.Sc.
PRICE $2.00.
NOW ON SALE AT THE PUBLISHERS
The Newspaper Enterprise Ltd. China Mail Offices.
*
*
MURDER AT SEA.
"Death Strikes at Six Bells," by Gregory Baxter; Ernest Benn, Ltd., 7/6.3
and Murder on the high seas then more murder sounds as thrill-
ing an opening for a mystery story as one could wish and in "Death Strikes at Six Bells," Mr. Baxter has provided a really ex- citing book.
Harry Buckley, returning from India an leave. becomes the contre Agure of two ghastly, mir- ders and with his friend, Lesley Kinnear, tries to solve the mys. tery. The chief clue is that the middle finger on the hand of the man first murdered
was hacked off, and the search for the ring bore leads to the discovery of the murderer.
Sateient romance is introduced to make the story interesting to readers who do not prefer the pare thriller and one is guaran teed a very pleasant time rending an this book, full as it is with fresh
and ingenious ideas.
All
wreck of the Reformation." we can say about it is that Mr. Woodruff has carefully imitated "Plato Indeed! Let me hope the well known translation of the then at least that you
not dialogues of Plato. But Socrates faced with that alternative.
defending the Church of the In- "Philalethes--I do not know that | quisition is a bit too much! I I am, but it is conceivable that I Mr. Woodruff had turned might be. For these higher goods | Orangeman and written a volume, have been secured, in fact, for the Plato's "Hibernia," satirising the most part, by leisured men living present Roman Catholle Govern- on the labour of others; and by ment in Free State Ireland the destroying that class, my friends Socratic rapier could have been say, (as I intend and desire to thrust home better-But this destroy it), I shall destroy also the mains for others. possibility of achieving any Gooda other than those which the mass of men can appreciate: and those I am not pretending are likely to be what are called ideal."
We should like to see a larger discussion of this whole subject. and his philosophy ara
Plato
A Coincidence.
are
re-
It is noticeable that Mr. Wood- ruff's book is published by Messrs. Sheed and Ward who also responsible for the publication of Mr. Chesterton's "If" and Mr. Belloc's "Survivals and New Ar- rivals," two of the most recent of
#
:
AMERICAN SUBURBIA. "They Thought They Could Buy It," by Walworth Carman; Ernest Renn. Ltd.: 7/6.]: 12 When one reads a book contain. ing unexpected Ideas there is al ways a feeling of pleasure, and Miss Carman has portrayed what might be called American Subur ban life in quite a novel fashion.
Different families living near. to each other are carefully analys-
bought at the expense of, and prac- these authors' propagandist litera-ed and their lives shown up in all tically BA the result of, slave ture which have reached the very the artificial social grades that labour. A more humane social | nadir of literary merit.
pre so prominent in suburban
Although "They thought they could buy it is essentially Ameri-- can, its lesson is universal and anyone who reads it, and it is well
And worth reading-will much to think about in relation to their own family circle.
in
髀 *
+
BACK FROM SIBERIA.
"Faber, or the Lost Years," by Jacob Wasserman; George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.; 7/6-] After four years as a prisoner and Siberia Faber escapes makes his way back to his home by a round-about route and rejoins his family. During his incarcera- tion he became embittered and looked forward with no little plen- standard of living but is disap sure to resuming his
pointed.
pre-war
His wife has undertaken a social service aimed to improve the lives of young people and al- though still faithful to him does not desire to sacrifice her new task to married life. The atory showa Faber's attempt to understand the new conditions and the tremend- 9115 mental struggle he goes through.
Each character in the book is splendidly portrayed and "Faber must be described as one of the best and strongest of modern nevels.
But what could you expect of a book by Joseph Wasserman?
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION SPAT WR
S. VA
BA
PIES. SEMIN IGLES QUZE
TOYS ANGER RELY
DAILY CROSS-WORD PUZZLE.
7
(This cross-word puzzle Aas been made by an expert but
our readers are warned to look out for occasional phonelio spellings, such as harbor, plow, and altho.)
14
18
23
27
128
Q
19 TO
134 35
38
чо
31
136
41
45
47
50
52
54
55
HORIZONTAL 1-Blood vessela & Custom
1f-To sot the mind
upon to do
15-A flower-cluster 14-in
15-Heavy affliction 16-Hall
17-Father
18-Nothing
20-Capital of
Bwarland
22-Fook-like organ 23-To puli PRO-To place
720-Has deported 27-Horsie poar 29-Parched with heat 30-Vary offensiva 31-AdrolinesE -33-Soapstone
36-Fresh and luxuriant
37-Unhealed
39-A Journey
41-Little devil
42-A swest made by
inscuta
4-A Swedish coln
HORIZONTAL (Cont) | VERTICAL (Cont)
[45-Greek lettor M
46-Word of assent
49-Musical note
21-Pertaining to
Rustin
[47-At the present time 22-A Hawalian food
50-Church official (pt)
52-Morchant
64-Dolla slowly and
rently
|65-Understanda
VERTICAL
24-A windlass
(20-Eminent
28-A cottage.
129-A territorial division
of Denmark 31-The commotion of a
multitude
32-Poisonous snake 34-A card game
I-An article of food 35-A shorebird 2-Whole
3-Pronoun
+Fresh
-Social pretender
6.To
POSKORR
7-A playing-card
8-To axist 9-To bo Imminent 10-To torment [12–Profound, as in
ature or degree 13-To speak in violent
language
19-To lick up
36-Lemon-like fruit
(PL)
97-Discoverer of
North magnatio pola..
[38-Departed
40-Ralect up
142-Possessive pronoun
43-A royal house of
England 46-Wood used for
making bowa 45-Pole 51-Prefix-down 53-To perform
(The solution of the above cross-word puzzle will appear in Monday's issued along with a new a new crossword puzzle.)
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