1932-04-13 — Page 11

BOOKS and READERS

P. G. WODEHOUSE, COMIC ESSAYIST.

(BY ROBERT LYND.].

P. G. WODEHOUSE'S LATEST: S. C. H. DAVIS' RACING REMINISCENCES.

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS;

Nou does be avoid those mattera that come nearer home to men's business and besome, as wosde in Hia Thoughts on the Income Tax Bittor as are his complaints against the income tax, bo points, out that at least the exemptions for wires and children have done something to revive the old spirit of family

affection.

EDNESDAY APRIL 13, 1932.

ST. PATRICK A BRITON.

will be an irresistible rush of water HONG KONG STOCK

in the tunnel which occasionally All right to the roof, and that pers

St. Patrick, the Travelling Man."haps before there is time to give

By Winifred M., Letta. Nichol

the alarm to the men at work. In son and Watson. 128. 8d.

side. Sower-men have beon washed This year Ireland will celebrate the afteenth centenary of the at-hour of a storm buret at Highgato,” away and drowned within half an

rival of St. Patrick of his misslor

to Troland.......

་་

Other chapters of the book des.. cribe explorations in Ireland, Miss Letts is a charming writer, France and Belgium. It is all very "Filling in the Income Tax formal has kindled again all the old spirit and her story of the Saint's life interesting from the point of view of love and family affection. How would be extremely popular if it both of selenou and of adventure. differently nowadays the head of were not o terribly expensive for

tbe.vizo. the house regards his wife and Like some other modern scholars, children. Many a man who has she is of the opinion that St. Pat pont years wondering why on

A MODERN BORGIA.

"Louder and Funior." By P. G. Wodehouse Faber and Faber Tu, Bd. Mr. P. G. Wodehouse, shows in his new book did he is as good indeed, it would scarcely be over fourth he ever linked his lot with rick was by birth a Briton from Till Doomsday." By Robin. Tom-

writing ours as at writing short stories, and that he is even better at writing essays than at writing long, atorice.

In one of the hilarious, essays in "Louder and Funnier "he tells us!

The Pestilent Marsine:

Elo is particularly dorisive of the lack of intelligence of the heroine of the ordinary monentional novel:

"Though beautiful, with large yes and hair the colour of ripe corn, the heroine of the thrilor is almost never a very intelligent girl stating it to say that her mentality a woman whom he has disliked from is that of a cockroach-and not as the moment they stepped out of the ordinary cockroach, at that, but one Lord Warden Hotel at Dover ad which has been dropped on its head a gang of boys and girls who seem as a baby. She may have escaped ad to grow more repulsive evory death a dozen times. She may know day gratefully revises his views an

Blackbird Gang is after her 'to. so cure the papers. The police may have warned her on no secount to

that he has always had just perfectly well that the notorious he scans Scheilulo D,"

Bort of mentality which the music- hall satisfied," Sentimentalising about the halls," he declares,. the one suro sign of mental decay, and I do it all the time." He adds and we may believe him of Bob- that it was his earliest habition

ין

Wodehouse-Proof Renders.

Those who enjoy the best nonsen

the neighbourhood of the Severn- possibly from Glamorgan,

ADVERTISING SIR JAMES BARRIE

"Chances and Mischances."

plo, Ward, Lock. 7a8d: The real heroine of this alo there are two other rather wishy- washy young woman, iù it-is, an actress lady who possesses the instincts if not the finesse of a Ber gia She murders her lover, poí- Bysona her daughter's mind against Charles Gilson, Jarrolds, 18 her father, and tries to shoot at Major Gilson has won an enviable her ex-husband's finance from a box popularity among schoolboys within the Royal Opera House, Covent his stories of adventure; and no Garden. There is nie a romantis one could read his reminiscences love-story here. But it is very without realising that here, is a much overshadowed by these lurid man of just that virility, daring and alluring incidents. and humour "that are certain sa appeal to the young,

stir outside Her house. But when that is being written in our time a messenger calle at half-past two will enjoy this book. I have heard in the morning with an unsigned, said that there are some readers note saying Come at once, the who are Wodehouse-proof. and to become a comedian on the halljuss anatches at her hat and goes.Louder and Funnier" je 'not in

The mussongen is a one-eyed China tonded for them. If it should fall In one sense he may be said to have achieved ia ambition in Londer man with a pock-marked face and into their hands by mistake, how

A soldier by profession, he served and Funnier," for here he reveals evil grin, so he trusts him im over, even they must admit the himself as a music-hall, comedianmediately and, having accompanied truth of Mr. Wodehouse's remark in the Boer War and, though he him to the closed car with steel in his proface Always remember was a crock" in 1914, he contriv- of genius expressing himself in

shutters over the windows, bowls off that, much as you may dislike this ed to do his, bit" in a fashion writing.

that has left him plenty to write about, Travels in the East and the literary life in London provide him with other excellent material He has his prejudices-especially against Sinn Feiners but he is dearly a good fellow.

".

4

in it to the ruined cottage in the book, it could have been consider Music Hall Pátter.

swamp. And when the hero abably worse." Nothing gave more delight to the great risk and inconvenience to old music-hal audiencer than what himself, comes to rosue hor, she was called the patter of the will "have "nothing to do with him groat comedians. Dan Leno, Eu-because she has been told by

• A FINE PROCESSION.

gene Stratton, R. G. Knowles, and mulatto with half a nose that it A History of Later Greek Litera T. E. Murray (a musichall come was he who murdered her brother dian in musical comedy) were fam-Jim." cos for their påtter between,30 and 40 years ago, and Sir Harry Laud or has carried on the tradition in on age that knows nothing of the Tivoli and the Pavilion as they used to ba

Feeling so strongly as this, Mr. Wodehouse insists that the heroine. "must go," and is justly incensed with the villain for a persistent ly boggling his job. The obvious person, of course," he writes, "to No one, however, has preserved rid ue of these posts is the villain, the spirit of patter" more sue and, in fairness to a willing work cessfully than Mr. Wodehouse. Iter; it cannot be denied that he does is transformed by an artist in 4 his best. Still, "experients has different art, but who could fail to catch the traditional accent of taught us that one cannot reply on We know him for the music-halla. in such a passage this man... as that with which he opens thewhat he in- broken read."" essay called" Fair Play for Audi anoes" 1.

الله

"

"In

Ago fall, tha present of Moot tions-soros mooter then others possibly 题 shade Jess moot than wome-perhaps the most est question of may is: Why has nobody ever taken steps to secure Justice and Fair Play for Theatre Audiencos."

The villain, according to Mr like Wodehouse, suffers from a fatal Quen-expess of ingenuity:" others, "The villafh cannot understand simplicity. A hundred times his mannœuvres the girl into a position where one good dig with a knife or a carefully directed pistol-shot Mr. Wodehouse. also carries on would produce the happiest results, the tradition of the old burlesques and then, poor ass, he goca and that were afterwards driven out by ruins it all by being too clever. 1. musical comedy. One of his most amusing essays is a burlesque on the never occurs to him just to point & Shakespearean-Bacon collaboration pistol at the heroine and fire it. I

in writing Hamlet." Another-you told him the thing could bej

ture." By A. Wright "Routledge. 168. Professor Wright has performed useful service to renders by com piling the first English history of Greek literature during the period beginning with the death of Alex. ander the Great and ending with the death of Justinian in the sixth century of the Christiap ora,

Discussing the Greek of the New Testament, Professor" Wright tacka those critics who have dis paraged its "literary" quality.

He agrese, on the other hand, that Plutarch, the most popular

One of his best stories tells how Sarah Bernhardt's press agent tried to persuade her to be photographed looking at the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens. The idea was to have a picture with the caption

The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up and the Woman Who Could Not

Grow Old."

was a plot to advertise an unknown

Sarah, however, suspected that it. author called Barria., Peof she Baid, when her agent tried to ex plain Barrie's position in litera ture, Enough! I will not ad- atvertise this English author of whom

never 'card. And nothing could budge her from her resolution.

An enjoyable book,

17

of all Greek prose writera, cannot WAS BUNYAN A BAPTIST? be called "good writer" in the strict sense of the words.

"

Students will be grateful for this survey of a rich literary period, with Theophrastus at the head and Muemus at the end of the proces

sion.

A SAD LIFE."

chinson. 78. 6d.

"A History of the British Bap-

biste." By W. T. Whitley. Kingegate Press. 78. 6d.

thoritative history of the British In the few edition of this, au- Baptists, Dr. Whitley claime that the Baptist community is "not only the oldest of the Protestant bodios; it is the largest.".

The story of the persecution, of Baptists in Caroline times and the strange part they played in the

perhaps the best thing in the book done that way he would suspect" Propu." By Naomi Jacobs. Hut Civil War, when the most popu- -is a burlesque of the modern you of pulling his leg. The only “thriller," specially of the stupid heroines and the too clever villains who figure o prominently in it.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

HONG KONG. BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.

A JUMBLE SALE

Will be held at 2 p..

on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 277m.

at

2 and 3, BEACONSFELD

ARCADE.dla

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Clothes and Household goods gratefully received any Monday or Thursday from 10.30 am to 11-30

$.0.

Miss Jacobs in her last novel showed herself at home among the

method he can imagine is to tie her in a chair, erect a tripod, place the. revolver on it, tie a string to the trigger, pass the string along the people of "Yorkshire, now she walla till it rests.on hook, attach another string to it, pass this over:

equally at her sase in the Dresden

a hook, tie a brick to the end of of pre-war days. Her hero. is

is

1

lar drill-books for both cavalry and infantry were by Baptists," tas. enough material for half-a-dozen historical novels. Dr. Whitley, by claim either Milton or Bunyan 25 the way, is not over-anxious to

Baptists, since, though both held Baptist views, they chose to hold aloof from all Baptist life."

He

the second string and light a candle Gorman Jew whose ambitions were believes that the denominational under it. He has got the thing rea- thwarted by his father. In love he life of Baptista flourished soned out. The candle will "burn-

more

the second string, the brick will fall, was no luckier. But we do finally sturdily under persecution than it the weight will tighten the first leave him on the threshold of ful. has done since the barriers were let

down. string, thus pulling the trigger, filment. This book calls for a ae- and there you are.

quel. For Miss Jacobs combines :

Then somebody comes along and with a mono and penetrating A SHAKESPEARE TOUR. blows the candle out, and all the mind a most pleasant gift for weary work to do over again.rative.

Authors at Hollywood, letters to

the editor, lawn tennis sed fashion

able weddings and, smart divorces A NOVEL OF THE FUTURE.

Rambles in Shakespeare's Coun-

|_ try." By "J. H. Wade, Mo-

thuen. 7. de

are other themes that Mr. Wodo- house embroiders with his fantastic

A volume for the lover of Shakes farcicality, displaying, an excess of "The Passionate Calvary." "By peare who is ardent enough in his ingenuity on page after page that Kaye Antony. Hurst and affection to want to confirm local would not the villain of a thriller Blackett. 7 d.

allusions. The author has been up in business for life,

In 1947, so we read, almost the freely quotational and has inter whole of the population of England, woven many pamages from Shakes Scotland and Wales was wiped out. Peare in his descriptions. The book And Britain was restored to the should be a joy to tourists," state of Edon-after the Fall We

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STREET.

tends us to regard Mr. Bumble, a MEN DROWNED IN FLEET mystical grocer, as the wrpent, the angel with the flaming sword, or as Adam himself. But readers of tho frenzied fantastic will not bo ther overmuch about the moral or morals..

GENIUS" AS HERO.

"Caving." By E. A. Baker. Chap.

man and Hall 18.

"Caving" is the exploration of eaves and other underground haunts of darkness. We realise, as we Tesd Mr. Baker, that it is a pursuit that is lacking neither in excitement nor in danger,

Violin By George Oleson, John

Murray..78 68.7

Mr. Baker, has explored widely in Little boys who dramatise their England from Cheddar to Chisfe- nursery loves, even though they are hurt, and has even ventured along Russian Princesses, into Fairy the London sower through which Princesses, are apt to be called lows the old Fleet tiver that gives little prigs. But Mr. Oleson's here its name to Fleet-strente

is a genius, and that excuses his We are told of the dangers ta. overflow of sentiment. His night which workmen are subject in this for fame and success is the thems sewer-in case of a rush of water of this story. And the Russian Re-"If there is a heavy fall of rain, volution enables, a children, romance writes Mr. Baker, in the suburbs to have a fairy tale ending.

where the Pleat takes ita rise, thers

MANNERS «; MONEY,

The Twain Shall Meet. By Phyllis Hambledon. Загорвод Low. 78: Ed.

Miss Hambledon has written d romantic and sentimental tale of the rise of a rag and bone mer. chant's, family, and the decline of a village squire's prosperity. The balance of the social soo-saw is rg-: stored by a marriage between the two families, but not before an amusing comedy of manners vOITUS money has been played.

MARKET

| YESTERDAY'S OFFICIAL

• QUOTATIONS.

Ones, more the market is again showing aigns of stagnation, and although there is scarcely any seem to be much buying power ohango in rates, there does not about.

Salos.

Hong Kong Banks #1,580/1,388. Union Insurances. $471. Providents (Old) $450, Providenta (Now) $24. Hong Kong Realties $11.45. Ewo Oottons Tis. 14.80. China Lights (Old) 821.10. Hong Kong Electrics. 874). Watsons. (Rights) #3j.

Buyers."

Union Insurancas 3470. Douglases $20. Bangusta 13. Docks $90,

Providents (Old) $4.85. Providents (Now) $24. Hotels (Cum. Rights) $137. Chiness Estatss 305. Hong Kong Resifles $11.38,

Benguet Explorations 28 conta. Ewo Cottons Tin, 14.85. Hong Kong Trams $914. Peak Trams (Old) $133. Hong Kong Electrios, $74, Telephones (P.P.) $25, Amusements 822.10. Oonstructions (Now) 81.85. Government Loans 3 per cent.

promium.

.

Sallers,

V

International Assee. Tla. 4. Humphreys: $17,

China Lights (Old) $214. 5:0..Enterprises $10.

AFTERNOON SESHTON.

A small demand set in for, one ar two stocks, otherwise there was no change throughout the day.

Sales

Providents (Old) $4.90. Humphreys $18165/17, Realties $11.65.

Hong Kong Electrics #74).

Buyers, Realtics $11.65. Star Ferries 8001. Singerea $161. Amusementa $29)

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Alphabetical List of Bogidonta in the Far East, containing the names of over 80,000 Foreigners. Alphabetical List of Firmi The Chronicle covers the notable events together with the teria of all the most important Treaties concluded with the countries of Eastern Asia, Scales of Commissions, Tablas of Money, Weights and Measures. Specially prepared introductions to sech port give în s concise yat sendable form, the history, physical features and trade conditions of the place.

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