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WILLIAM BENET'S NOVEL IN VERSE.

"Rip Tide" Demands Consideration.

Before considering "Rip Tide," by William Rose Benet, one should give heed to the explanatory subtitle: Inalated upon by the author, for if heed be given at the outset mis- understandings, and consequent re-1 criminations, are less likely to occur. "Rip Mr. Benet anys, first, that

Tide" is a "novel" and, second, that' it is in "verse." In other words,

the reader is to remember that the

THE CHINA MAIL.

"The Good Earth' Fails As Play

Adaption Believed Beyond Hope

STYLE

FOREIGN TO STAGE

BY BROOKS ATKINSON.

poet is telling a story, that he is Life being so full of a number of uncle.

first son

not cogitating on a story dimly things, its unwise to generalise too proudly into the great lord's house. shadowed in his lines, and that he solemnly. It is unwise, for example, They prosper. is to be content with "erea"-that

LITERARY CHATTER

Marjorie Bowen's books catch the Miss Kate O'Brien, whose story, eye in bookshops almost as often as "Without by Cloak," has won the Edgar Wallace's and Arnold Ben-Hawthornden Prize, began work in nett's. Marjorie Bowen (Mrs. England on the staff of the "Man- Arthur Long) is writing a six-chester Guardian" "Without My teenth-century historical romance Cloak" which was her first novel, with the title of "Toulouse." was published on Migns O'Brien's This report to a doctor by an thirty-first birthday last December. Indian attendant who had been Her first play, "Distinguished. left in charge of a serious case is Villa," was produced at the Little quoted from one of Phillp Allan's Theatre. "Time and Tide" has com- books, "Honoured Sir Frommended "Without My Cloak” ́ ́ns. Babufee"

"this brilliantly written book."

"1 am-Patient in low degree. 11.30 a.m.-Patient in the sink. 12.00 --Patient on the 'nit. 12.05 pm-Patient flut." One of the books to come shortly

Sir Austan Chamberlain' is very busy on a book of reminiscences.

Ingenious Books. Constables, announce that they They take their

for the publications of the Scho have become the only selling agents The flee the famius. from Mr. Murray, entitled "Beauty," lary's Fress and Eric Partridge. is a posthumous collection of ac These are scholarly and ingenious

to be rigidly inefsted upon.

[out of fiction. "Becky Sharp" was frightened rich man has given them. Mackenna, author of so many de The story is that of a young man so skillfully drawn out of "Vanity Wang Lung establishes Lotus in lightful books. The essays are ac-gotten works of the nineteenth

century. and a young girl, intensely in love Fair that Mrs. Fiske could never the new court as his second wife, companied by a memoir of the au only agents, also, for the sale of with each other, who are, unknown

Finally ho moves. Into the great thor by his son.

the fine editions of the Raven Press, of the same quite draw herself out of part even house, since he is now a great lørd to either, children

"Penny, Plain and Twopence which is conducted, by R. 'A. "May- father, though of mothers. when she felt that she was too old to himself, and there his first wife Coloured" will come from Harrap at nard and H. W. Bray, whose artistry next month and craftsmanship made the re Mr. Benet should seek play it. The 'modern theatre revenges herself on the decorative the beginning of

is to say, poetical standards are not to say that a play cannot be drawn They come home with the gold casional. essays by Dr. R.. Wbooks which. deal largely with for-

That

his self-imposed dilemma by invok-

:

Constables will be the

6 purely technical escape from abounds in instances of fiction that women who have succeeded her in Under Stevenson's pretty title, an putation of the Gregynog Press and ling at the end the aid of the deus have stepped daintily "over the foot her husband's passion; and there editorlat writer says in the London already has put the Raven in the In the novel, you will re- "Observer," Mr. A. E. Wilson, of front rank of modern private

sha dies.

A

the mute

"has put together an informal presses.

Cookery books fill almost as many and fascinating "History of the Juvenile Drama, as the nursery review columns as books on Lnodon, toy theatre of wood, tin, and and there are many books about food and wines like 'Earle Welby's, who cardboard, used to be called follows his master, George Saints- There are reproductions of the familiar, fierce characters from bury, In his Toryism and his "The Miller and His Men, Black-interest food. Townley Searle has written, and decorated, "Strange And Eyed Susan,' and. the like.

Nowes from China; Mr. C. B. Corhran's prefaie opens Cookery Book" and Alexazider. Chise- the show with his usual urbanley has published it. One of Mr.

Searle's stories is of a Chinese. Edwin Muir's first novel, "Poor dignitary who sent a messenger to

A

Firat

ex machina is, perhaps, bealdo the lights. "Rain" was more pungent member, O-lan dies in the farm-the "Star," point. It is obvious that some on the stage than in Somerset house after the elaborate festivities But avenue of escape is imperative, and Maugham's short story. "The of her first son's marriage. if the tragedy has been developed

Green Hat" was no shoddier in the the Davis version, which brings her jauheluntly, that is, if one or tha

as mistress into the great house other should have become aware of theatre than it was between covers.where once she was

cuffed as the tragic barrier. whatever parti-"The Constant Nymph" as a play re-stave, is dramatically superior. Al eular device may be adopted by the covered much of the novel's virtuoso though it savours of melodrama, it narrator at the end of the tale, a pathos.

concretely establishes "The Great Gatsby" and thesis of the book. Of importance of consequence. only is the handling of the theme "Minick" became the stage very

Fairly Falthful. handsomely. prior to the denouement.

"Porgy," intelligently

The play version is a reasonably The first "book" of the novel, re-created and ably directed, shed faithful synopsis of the literal facts bearing the caption "Shella," the its ink, paper and cloth binding of the book. What you miss is the name of the mother, is a very fine:

A change completely, when the Theatre Guild soul of the novel which has enkind- Tom," will be published shortly. Look for a new cook, "at whose door poetic accomplishment..

led so much affection in the hearts comes over the other two books, a produced It, and "Grand Hotel," roof its readers. No jointpiece could Professor Elleen Power has won of people he has poisoned" change which will not be anticipated assembled in terms of showmanship, hope to transmute the soul of Mrs. very high praise from two expert "Summer's Not Over," "one 'of the at this point, for it is possible that was more theatrical than the ma- Buck's story. And of what signi-London reviewers for her work in new novels, which Faber pubilehud [there may be justification for the DAVIE, BOAG & Co. Ltd, poet's Inter, adoption of a method jority of playa. Although American ficance are a few episodes torn from the seventh volume of the famous recently, had been...aponsored by

the Intaglio structure of a fully "Cambridge

DAILY CROSS-WORD PUZZLE.

(This cross-word puzzle has been made by an expert but our readers are warned to look out for occasional phonetic spellings, such as harbor, plow, and altho.)

12

16

12

D

15

16

7.8

TO

19

25

26 27

128

29

33

35

મ.

43

40

45

46

49

HORIZONTAL

1-One who accèpts a

gift

9-Mora fucid

10-Band

12-Act

13-8wift-Balling

mediasval ship of

war (pl.)

14-Because

16-A troo

18-Half an enti

HORIZONTAL (Cont.) 35-A weight used in

Turkey 36-Exist

37-Royal Navy (abbr.) 39-Slater (short). 40-North Latitude

(abbr:)

|41-Tangles (Naut.) |43-Plural suffle

44-Rub out 146-Detest

19-8, Atlantic Sista. of 48-The principal

U. 5. (abbr).

20-8lok.

21-The eldest son of

Adam (Bib.)

23-Girl's nama : ...

member of # van Bola stern-frame

VERTICAL

1-Egyptian sun-god

24-A journey to carry a 2-Final:

meurage

25-To deny 26-One who cures hides) 30-King of Scotland,

rival of Bruce.........:" 33-Combining förmi

Indian

84-Comfort

-To seal with wax -Pressed 5-A polygon whose -angler are all ' ** equal

B-A volcano in Blolly 7-Numbers (abbr.) B-Toward a

(The solution of the áboos with a new sppear in to-morrow's lasur.

SATURDAY'S SOLUTION

VERTICAL (Cont.). 9-Pertaining to the

sun

11-Pigment |12-Decelt

15-Without eleop 17-Girl's name şi 20-Any llar (Colloq.) 22-A continent (abbr.) 23-Agriculture (abbr.) 27-Part of the leg 28-A

Magative

29-Short coat

30-A coarao stuff, of

Jute

31-The, (Fr.) An 92-Twigs of willow 98-Foundation

(38-A mountain in Moab

141-A rodent.

142-Follow of the

· Historical Society (Latin, abbr.). 45-Right side (abbr.) 47-Part of the Bible

(abbr.).

cross-word puzzle,) will

AN INTRODUCTORY HISTORY

A. IT CROOK, ORE, MA

HAN IDE, MA., B.Sc.

NOW ON BALEƑAT THE

ISHERS. The New

China Mat

the sea, she had lived near the sea.

Its weight of fate, its challenge to

the affray.

Its clomental languor

courtesy,"

High Praise.

there are no disembowelled spirits

2

Medieval History." Vicki. Baum. This novel has been other than the one first pursued. To audiences felt a certain disenchant balanced work of art? What value Dr. G. G. Coulton, who has review translated from Germanby Joniël consider the first book," therefore,ment about "The Good Companions" is there in Wang Lung's prosperity ed the latest volume for the London Head. by itself, Shella had been born by production last year, English audi-unless you have shared with him the "Observer." commends the separate Dr. E. A. Baker's book, On Foot Somehow, born near the sea, you ences found the London production long-considered audacity of buying surveys of some of the smaller na- in the Highlands," has been publish- a lord's land and the mad excitement, tionalities as "not only by first-rate ed by Alexander MacLehose who partook of the sea,

much to their liking a hearty tran- of dealing as man to man with a specialists, but in themselves most has quickly taken an important place This script of a jolly, itinerant book. lord's agent? What meaning has readable.”. One of these chapters among London publishers. Singing, acting, imaginative scene the plundering of the rich man's is on "Scotland to 1828." Later in title, "On Foot in the Highlanda," is through

design and an entirely fresh point house in the south unless you have in his review, Mr. Coulton says as attractive as it is timely. It is

understood Wang Lung's alarm, toil that

published at five shillings, and there peace, of view have made "The Green Pasand bewilderment as he scampered "perhaps the most interesting are rounded corners suitable for the tures" the best-loved play of our around a strange city with his rick- and instructive chapter of all is pocket. Mr. MacLeboso himself white

that of Professor Eileen Power is an excellent guide to the country timea.

shaw? In sum, what moaning is there in any of "The Good Earth" on the "Medieval Peasant. It is which gave Walter Scott his in- Where Style Fails

unless you have constantly looked one of its great merits that it spiration, as he showed in a travel But perhaps we can manage to into Wang Lung's mind and par- keeps equal hold on the normal aupplement of Time and Tide," Though all tall trees in the hills isolate one little scrap of the truth.ceived the hope, pride and loneliness and the exceptional conditions of where his article had the place of

peasant life."

honour.

moods of calm,

Its incessant whisper of

its limitless plain Whercover the soul like the winging gulls went free Far out, far out, out over

waves and away.

were dripping balm

the

Her only prayer was return to the Novels brought to literary fruition of a peasant?

largely through style are outside

sex again."

This is poetry, high poetry. There the theatre's bailiwick. When "A la the calm of the sure artist, cer-Farewell to Arms" was divorced |tain of his touch, serene in the com-]

mand of his material. But, and be from the neurotic brilliance of yond the artist, there is here the Hemingway's style the most vital discerning mind, the poet, or, if one part of the novel was missing. No will, the novelist, who has gone

down beneath and behind his mate play could equal the rude thrust of rial to a deep understanding of sub- O'Flaherty's style in Mr. terranean forces, intellectual and Gilhooley." And now

comes the

emotional, working in and through plainest proof of all in "The Good the characters of his drama. This Earth," which Owen Davis and] is more apparent in Ilnes like the

following, where the barrier be. Donald Davis have adapted from the tween Sheila and her husband, Der-novel and which the Theatre Guild mot, appears shadowy but impas- has been rash enough to mount on sable.

The body was nothing- But neither was this his end,

he clutched above"

At fluttering wings from his

aga ever in flight,

Waged furious war on

trees in her mind.

the stage. For style is the touch- for stone of Mrs. Buck's sombre gran-

deur in that remarkable novel. Her rev-writing is steeped in the Bible. And thus she holds off at pencil's some for length the merciful epic of Wang Now all this is writing from the Lung's life in a vast, crowded land Inside outward. Mr. Benet. has of poverty and riches, famine ant broken through into the mind of his plenty, ignorance and wisdom. Never fictional character he is calling are the emotions so poignant as the upon his reader to understand Shaila stage Ikes to have them. If there rather than to behold her, and in

is comedy, it is remote and reflec consequence of the tension of his

If there is verse a corresponding degree of tive

anguish, it is tension is produced in the reader spared the torture of psychopathic himself. In the two books that are moderniam.. Time moves as slowly to follow, Gordon" (the name of

Shella's momentary lover) and as the floods rise and recede in the "Barry" (the name of their son), rice fields. Except for the two mob this method of viewing the action episodes, the hours drone on in from the inside out: is abandoned Wang Lung's life or the broad land. for objectivity.p

His thoughts and Impressions are Barry meets Julie, or Meredith, asinarticulate and slow. Long as the she is usually called, and the two novel is, with its chronicle of a life- fall immediately in love. Gordon, time for many characters, it needs stumbling upon a clue, realizes that length to round out the story and to Barry, too, is his own child, and evoke the spirit of a great furaber halts upon, Barry's lips the request

ing land. For Mrs. Buck's biblical for his daughter's hand.

style belongs to an agrarian theme. Higher Drama

[At his ghoulder

With the same "upfung head the

younger mân,"

Stared in his eyes.

Athough the Davises have made

a few exiguous charks here and

Then, auddenly, he knew, 10thore, they have tried honestly to

The lightening revelation seared communi tho - ersence of the

kep his brain:

Backward ha stepped. Award. Then he whirled.

Gord

book

novel would ha the literal facts hear those Wang Lang with

#different frid:

Idolator or the no objection to their adaptation:] peasant's terrof

Hwad

Ffor Christmas

GAPETAK

Navy ORI

GIVE HIM

CAPSTAN

tarla

the

their