1935-08-05 — Page 7

LITERARY NOTES

DEBUNKING OF ARCADY

Sardonic Sense Of Humour

UNDER THE SURFACE OF

ENGLISH VILLAGE

A somewhat sardonic sense of humour runs through "The Divid ing Air" by Robert Eton. The ides of the book is interesting

A PHILOSOPHER ABROAD

Book Of Delightful Humour

AMUSING INLAND VOYAGE

Bessarabia and Beyond, by Henry Baerlein, an account of an finland voyage, is made delightful by a quality of humour which re- minds the reader in tuin of Cer- vantes, of Laurence Sterne and of Jerome K. Jerome. The conversa- tions and episodes are gravely fan- tastic and decorously absurd.

Accompanied by an ingenuous Motoring through the green sere Swiss youth, whose polyglot learn- mity of the English countryside ing made him an Indispensable in-1 one comes from time to time ou terpreter, and further guided by a some remote village the world sporting. Romanian police inspec forgetting, by the world forgottor, whose official powers smoothed whose peaceful, old-world beauty the usually far from easy path of travel in Bessarabia, Mr. Baerlein suggests for its inhabitants

alset out from its south-east corner, life and a mentality equally. Ar proceeding north along the Danube, cadian Tet beneath that tran- then south-west into Transylvania.

Strange Meetings quil surface a very

differeat

He met the most brilliant and

spirit--who knows? may con Impurturbable chauffeur in the ceivably be lurking. Human na world whose conversation consist- ture is the same everywhere, and fed almost entirely of proverba Paradisal environment does He met an imperially profiled

horse-dealer, who enlisted his na not necessarily imply a greater

sistance in a lethal operation upon freedom than elsewhere from the an unexpectedly lively invalid. He penalty of Adam.

Unusual Theme

met some extremely remarkable and historically learned ecclesias- Įtics, municipal dignitaries, hotel managers, waiters and hawkers, Such is the theme selected by one very substantial poet, and Mr. Meynell, who handles it with several suitably mysterious a good deal of brio. To Edding-lovely young ladies. ton, an

Charmed by

2nd

way

THE CHINA MAIL – MONDAY, AUGUST. 5; 1935

Maurice Chevalier and Merle Oberon are co-starred in 20th Cen tury's "Folies Bergere," which will be screened at the King's Theatre next Friday.

New

Voice In Literature

AMUSING BOOK OF TRAVEL

Woman's Lively Reminiscences

“THIK” OR “CLEER”

is

Miss Rachel Field's "Time Out Of Mind”

WORM I THE BUD"

DETECTIVES IN

FICTION

BBC TALKS IN BOOK FORM

RECENT PUBLICATION

London.

The talks in the popular series recently broadcast in the Empire programmes entitled Meet the Detective have just been publish fed in an attractive farm by Messrs. [George Aßen and Unwin. Ltd. ***

Youth In The Crucible

PLEASANT DAYS IN PROVENCE

Fragrant Book Of Memories

UNSPOILED PEASANTRY "Perfume from Provence.

Promising Novel Of Frustration

LITERARY ARABESQUE”

It is not "immediately obvious. why Mr.Michael Barrison should either have named his new novel Spring in Tartarus” or have des cribed it as an arabesque. That. By however, is by the way; novels and Lady Fortesche, with draw their titles nowadays are frequent-“ In a foreword Cecil Madden, who

ings by E. H. Shepardly on the most distant of terms, so (Blackwood, 8s. 6d.). arranged these talks for the RBC

that Mr. Barrāson in this respect points out that there was at the wonderful country that ties fashion.

How many English people know is doing no more than following the when detective stories were only behind the French Riviera? I considered fair game and fit for as simple and rural blood-thirsty boys.

∙as Monte: Briely. Spring in Tartame” is To-day ever Carlo and Nice and Cames are a study of a young man, Tancred Cabinet Ministers and Diplomats sophisticated; pleasant France set Merrion by name, who throws up confess to spending their spare in smiling scenery and glorious a promising situation in an insur time unravelling gruesome paper sunshine. mysteries which baffle the Yard of

ance company in disynst with the Somewhere in that hinterland methods of Big Business, and res fiction..

Sapper, A. E. W. Mason. Sax found the house on the side of self to literature.

Lady Fortescue and her husband tires to the country to devote him- Rohmer, and other leading writersa, hill, with views of other bills of detective fiction all describe how and valleys and glimpses of the

07 Awakening their characters came into being blue Mediterranean. Great sárle Of the Scarlet Pimpernel the Baro faction there was in the venture that ideas have a habit of proving

Once there, however, Dear d'Orczy writes: Don Jet and in the Provencal workers who singularly elusive, especially after anyone doubt the fact that you are helped; all of them were soon the he has succumbed to the stre real, even though it is I and not very good friends of Madame and tons of the Lady Bianca, of ex- history who have put your life on Monsieur. Especially Hitaire, the record. I am only the medium gardener, who had been which you happened to choose to over from the former owner of the taker make your personality known

tal place. the world."

more

First Meeting

he finds.

pansive morals" and expensive tastes.

"By the time that · Tancred has settled some of ber bills, giren ber (a few trifles of jewellery, such as *And then from a terrace above a diamond wrist watch from Car- ns, I became conscious of

two tier's, and spent some weeks with anxious goldenbrown eyes looking her on a holiday in the Balearic down into mine, with an impressionales selected on the ground of of dumb pleading. Instinctively

my face softeneĉ into a reassuring economy he is Eterally pennilesa smile. Then I saw those spaniel and the projected novel is stil eyes light up and as though I had little more than embryonic. called him with my riance Hilaire climbed slowly down the stairway

over

25

Poverty and hard work, however,

It is interesting to note that this extremely colourful character was born on the platform of the Temple Underground Station on a drear, foggy day in November. These personages all exhibit a out-of-the-way Village

Although Time" Out of Mind" The Scarlet Pimpernel's subse some 12 miles from Worcester.lstriking resemblance in one

is not her first novel, the name of quent experiences were a remark comes Gordon Hale, celebrated for another to Mr. Baerlein himself.

Miss Rachel Field will probably able triumph over such an inauspi- writer of plays and newly- ap-It is a measure of his fascination

be familiar to a comparatively (cious beginning. pointed to a Facrasive job on the as a raconteur that, so far from

small proportion of local readers. Familiar Characters British National Broadcasting offending the reader, this pheno~!

A new voice, however, is always menon increases his enjoyment. One does not have to be famous interesting, particularly when, as ler treat their characters

Other writers like Sydney Hor towards me, never taking his eyes eventually supply the inspiration. Corporation.

from my face... He had bared and the stimulas that For no one minds how many laugh-to be an autobiographer,

but at in this instance, its

ease and owner has familiarly. "Tiger Standish is to

his old head as be approached, and leisure bad failed to evoke. More its air of quiet|ing philosophers he meets or how least one must have led

something of genuine dramatic me the most real character I have

how he took my hand in his hard over, they provide a touchstone for contentmen he decides to pat often the meetings take place. teresting life. Bere Mrs. Florence and artistic vaine to impart.

brown paws and bent his head low Modern "Picaresque" Riddell, the popular novelist.

ever sent out into the world to try:

it as be thanked me. Eddington "on the air," a broad-

reality which Tancred has hitherto "Time Out of Mind" is the story and earn me a few pennies. Of Mr. Faerlein well qualified, and “I Go Wandert a family on the coast of Maine, course, the superior-minded the spirit and the charm of Lady that he no longer desires her.

though swearing fealty to a queen lacked: and his second meeting cast is arranged at which various To some extent.

the has produced a 20th-century ver- ing gives the woman's view of shipbuilders for generations. a viewers are apt to declare that Fortescue's story of life as sha

There you have the humanity, with Bianca merely reveals to hi typical representatives of village and its' activities shall{sion of those pleasant old tales of life in tropical comtries.

seen through the eyes of Kate Tiger is several times larger than has lived it among the unspoilt speak or sing. · A charming wanderings, originating in Spain. As a girl sine gratified her desire Fernald. dependent of the For-life, but that does not worry me in folk of Provence, in her book

Distinctive Writing idea!

which became known, in all lan-

to travel by accompanying a Parsee tunes since her sineenth

year the least.”. It is carried out, on the whole. wards, as "picaresque, romances.”

Fuages, from the 16th century on-family to Bombay as governess toate is, indeed the most vital Describing his popular charac-dry humour, as of the soil, and With genuine ability, and even with "Perfumes from Provence Their Mr. Harrison undoubtedly writes their children. India fascinated character in the book successfully, and Gordon, absorb- His temper is, indeed, very close.

ter the "Saint Mr Leste Char-their homely philosophy, are most a certain distinction. Hunous is ed in his own private worries and to that of the typical Castilian in her with its bearty and its squalor wavering loyalty to her employersteris tells how he once received a happily refected in her narra. Perhaps hardly his strongest point, an outsider into the bargain, its playful intelligence and rather and diversity of peoples and ways, blends with her unconfessed lov

letter which read for Naz Fortune the last of his Earo- never realises that the seemingly elaborate caprice, as readers of his but she found it crued to

line, who angers the Major, his all I wish to say that I am a great "Dear Mr. Charteris,-First of placid community he has broad-recent account of

Belmonte the peans, especially to the smal son cast to the world has no's actual (matador will be "aware.

who was the fruit of her marring, father, by his lack of physical admirer of the Said series, having | there to a Scotsman, and so existence; on the contrary, it is a miniature hell of jealousy, spite,

left for Kenya Colony. suffering, and even crime, to

which he himself has largely, if unwittingly, contributed the fuel.

Tragedy of Fatility

MAN WHO CAME

BACK

Translation Of Sombre. Dutch Novel

they

Her un-

en-

tive.

Job Printing

VLASONABLE

PPICES

ACHIEVEMENT

music-a passion which ends in robustness and his passion for

read most of them while doing eighteen months in Pentonville.” his escaping to Paris, with the aid of his sister, Clarissa, and that in all probability the readers The chief value of this book is Indian Servants

devoting himself to the career of

{possess several detective stones by Besides teaching, she tried rum- a composer ning a boarding-house for English

Return. Broken

the speakers in this series. It will was driven nearly

be interesting to go back to these people. and

When at last be returns to volumes with the additional Not indeed that even he is im

frantic by the habits of Indian America, Kate goes to New York lightment which a book of this mune. Disillusioned and ambiti

servants and the ramifications to hear him conduct his new syn character brings. tered, yet lacking the courage to A rather sombre style-In "The the caste system, but had a great remould his life instead of mere Wealthy Beggar." by Madelon # deal of fun nevertheless. It is the phony in spite of the fact that it means the breaking of her own ly enduring it, he finds himself Lulofs, translated by G. D. domestic side of life in India that

[engagement; when, ill and broken- involved in a love affair with a Pidcock, is compensated for by the we get from her, and it is very hearted by the unsuccess of his girl young enough to be his originality of the setting and the instructive to those interested. marriage, he returns to Fortune's daughter, which ends in all the fine character study of Pieter Vos, Her. Goanese cook proved a trea-Folly in blind quest for refuge, tragedy of futility.

who sets out from the slums of sure and his resource simply she zurses him back to health Amsterdam to seek wealth and amazing. "Even in those dust and finds a temporary happiness For all the cynicism of its power.

Although handicapped by storms which so frequently desin giving him the genuine love he theme, the book has its amusing an unprepossessing appearance and cended on Bombay, my Antonio needs. side, especially as regards

theja decidedly diffident manner be never lost his head. He merely vitriolic vanity

Clarissa, whose devotion to her. of the village succeeds in amassing a respectable made the butler alter the menu by brother is warped by family pride] school-mistress. The story isfortune as manager of a rubber striking out the word 'cleer whichland a consuming ambition

for cleverly worked out, and the var-estate on a lonely island in the he had applied to the soup. and Nat's success, tears them jealous- ious undercurrents are remorse East. But it is an empty victory, substituting the word "thik'." jly apart, but as strength is no lessly followed to their severa]; When he returns to Europe Mrs. Riddell's opinion of Kenya, Ilonzer adequate for the struggle, tragic conclusions, though Mr. with his fascinating wife--who where, at Nairobi, she successfully and he and Clarisa return to Meynell's characters are perhaps marries him only because she is at ran a school, is that it is not a Fortune's Folly for the last time, types rather than individuals. the end of her own resources he lucky country." In the four years where he meets his death during

The Dividing Air is an ingen-tries, to adopt the grand manner of she stayed there more people of a thunderstorm. ious and interesting story, even his wealthier associates, but fails her acquaintance committed St There will ever be another if not let us hope truly miserably. To all but his im-cide than she can count in all the Fortune at Fortune's Folly, for tal of the majority of En-poverished family he is still in-other years of her life put to Clarissa has married, and is *glish villages.

significant Pieter Vos of the slums. gether. In quite of a number of living abroad, and the old house

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these cases there was no visible itself has passed into the hands] reason or motive, and she pats it of strangers. Kate alone remains, down partly to the lattitude and table to leave the strip of coast altitude of the country.

Sun In Kenya

where her life has been spent. with all its memories of pain "and; happiness.

Vivid Descriptions "The violet rays of the sun Miss Field undoubtedly writes strike vertically upon Europeans, well, and with a vivid power of who were created for places upon description, as for example, in which these rays descend in the scene of a launching early in slant After a period of resid- the book of in tint of Nat's one ence one's mentality, balance, and might of trimph as a composer bealth are affected

in New York

It was an areasing place, how- The character of Kate hersel everlirs Riddell tells of cheery

ably and 28

sympathetically semi-savage nativer who pushed drawn, but Nat is more or less a her disabled car up hills and jump-stock figure, especially in the ed on for the ride of their lives latter part of the story, nor has their first ride on a car-brandish the author been able entirely to ing their spears and whooping avoid a suspicion of sentiment with, delight at the perilous and ality, the sin which doth most precipitous descent, f

Leasily heret the novelist

But even such grown-up children especially, but by no means solely. were not sufficient to reconcile her in America."

to the land, and she departed for 9-On the whole, however, though Farland, to become, after her hus somerast and

band's death, a writer and travel

ler Some of the travel incidents,

az ahe tells them, Ave bilariously should ap

Jong-or

ing novel"

THE

·

though he can coin a neat enough epigram on occasion.

Whether "Spring in Tartarus* marks a notable advance on his earlier success, "Weep for Lycidas,” is possibly a matter of personal jopinion, but he is at least a writer

of considerable promise, which will (probably be fulfilled when he has learnt to substitute concentration för diffusion, and, to endow his characters' with a more solid in- dividuality than they 30. far manage to achieve.

"VICTORY" MODEL

ROYAL

TRIUMPHS AGAIN

Hard upon the heels of the announcement of "ROYAL'S" CONSECUTIVE WINS in the London, News Chronicle "Amateur Typewriting Contest For Great Britain," comes the news of Albert Tangora's Triumph in the "WORLD CHAM PIONSHIP CONTEST" held at Chicago on the 29th June 1935, winring the championship, in competition with expert opera- tors of other makes of typewriters, with a STOCK (NON- PERLED) MODEL ROYAL TYPEWRITER.

He wrote 8.117 words and struck 40,585 strokes in one hour PROOF POSITIVE OF

ROYAL SUPREMACY

ROYAL EFFICIENCY

ROYAL EASE OF OPERATION. ROYAL QUALITY OF WORKS ROYAL DURABILITY

ROYAL ECONOMY

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