Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18
BOOK NoT1cE-suNDAY

lie LITTLE WHITE BIRD. or sAdven-
lures IN kensington Gardens. BY J. NJ.
Barrie. Charles Scribner's Sons, New
| . .oth, For sale by the Bell Book and
stationery Company
IN the matter of originality, not to say
Whimsicaiity. Mr.. Barrie is almost with
out an equal in the English speaking
, world OF letters. His Sentimental Tom
my, kept readers guessing. as well as
fascinated. until they had finished the
very last page of the story, and left a n
impression which it will take years to
eradicate. And the volume before us. so
lar as fancifniness and whimsicalties are
concerned. goes even farther. Verify. the
work is positively odd. Its peculiar blend
Ing Of seriousness. hunaor. pathos dream
mess. and eccentricity produce q. result
which is absolutely unique But 1t is to
be doubted If this remarkably clever pot
pouTfl or literary versatility Will appeal
10 all classes. Truth to tell. there are
tunes when the reader proceeds slowly
ana When ne has to clutch frantically to
grasp the thread Of the story. Find 1t.
ne generally does, and then he smiles At
nus own stupidity. But there are some
DOCK lovers who do not wish to think;
VINO hate to be analytical, and who ex-
pect an author to make everything as
pam as a pike-staf to them. This Mr..
Barre doesn t Invariably do If he sought
10 achleVe clearness and perspicuity, he
would have to give up his sly hun,or, his
subtle touches and his exquisite pathos.
which slips in when we are least expect
ing it,
But all this aside. '.The, Little White
blrd is the study of small English
boy e. boy, mind you, is very mysterious
when handled psychologically). who
has for a friend retired army officer-a
confirmed old bachelor, who looks visit
fully at domestic life. To our mind, the
sweetest part OF the story tells how the
two friends became acquainted But Mr..
Barrie evidently thinks ne is best in de-
scraoing the boy, or rather boys in gen,
eral. for it is here he displays the most
originality. We accompany David and
MS sedate companion on many an excur-
sion to Kens.ngton Gardens, where they
thread their way among baby carriages
and peranbulators, and indulge in all
sorts of conversation. Chapter after
chapter is devoted to descriptions of the
supposed affinity existing between fairies,
birds, and children. And it is here In
these frequent jumps into elf-Iand. or into
the realm of improba bility, that the mind
OF the careless reader becomes obfuscated
and that he secretly wishes that Mr. Bar
RE would be Just a little more explicit.
Truly. there are moments when we almost
believe that the novelist thinks as
Child but these are very feeting mo-
ments, for almost every page shows the
delicacy, skill. and originality of the au-
thor. II one does not call Mr.. Barrie
s'sui generis'' after reading this work then
indeed there is nothing new under the
gun.
So charming are the other characters
introduced. and especially David's mother,
that one constantly regrets that he
sees SO little of them. They are admira
bly, limned and SO human that we almost
feel their pulse-beats, and certainly share
their heart-aches.
There is one chapter in the book-that
entitled "A Confirmed Spinster." fthe
name by which Dayid's friend was known
at the club. which alone makes the wo.x
a masterpiece. 1t recalls an ancient
love affair of the Bachelors and In d ten
DERBY retrospective strain describes the
one great disappointment which came into
the old soldiers life. Any commentary
on this delicious bit of writing seems COM
monplace and trite. One has to read it to
feel the gentle-yea. almost tear provoking
pdlLOS Oh the COul1OSltlOIl
It would be difficult to explain how the
book gets its title. Just as it is difficult
to explain everything else about this I'M
usual story, but Mr.. Barrie explains il,
and In q way peculiar to himself. In
short, there's no gaining an idea Of THE
Little White Bird without carefully read
ing the book itself.
Mr.. Greed T. Davis, Of this City. has
a,~1,N. ,N~ls
valuable genealogical work, entitled,
Genesis, or Traces Of the Davis Families
of the Colonies In his prospectus. the
author says:
Virginia is the American seed ground
Of the Davises. It may be doubted If
there is in the country family bearing
this name. that is not interested in some
OF the early or more recent records of
patent grant, settlement purchase. mar
riage. public service. deed or will OF PEG
pie of the name OF Of the blood.
1.-THE family is q most honorable and a
most numerous one. 1t yields to few in
the number of men OF high distinction
whom it has produced. among whom were
the great navigators." Captain James,
Robert, John, and Nathaniel Davis, (who
married the Indian Princess Nikitka, and
was the ancestor of the Cabells, and the
Eloyds), President Jefferson Davis. Sena-
l.
It yields to none in the number of its
men of local representation for Eubstan-
tial worth.
1.-THE Davis genealogy is particularly rich
in interesting characters and references
to transactions Which, if not of the hrst
importance, are, at least, of high sec
ondary Interest. It touches many matters
which are so obscure that they have
never been thoroughly developed. and on
which light has been sought from many
quarters, hitherto in vain.
Genesis, or Traces of the Davis Fam
ilies,' is largely. based on records Of the
colonial times, and of the early days Of
the republic. Thousands Of extracts are
given literally. and. so far as has been
been possible, all gaps have been filed in
from authorities the most reliable. The
work, which has been largely labor OF
love to the author. has consumed many
years in preparation. and involved almost
innum cradle books of reference and al
most innumerable journeys to the various
points. where old court records are pre-
served.
THE book appeals to thousands OF peo-
pie on the score OF family pride. Many
a Davis hardly knows who he is nor
whether he has discoverable connection
with the great men whose family name
he bears: and no one of them possesses
even IS the result of great expenditure
raoor5 one titha go va llla BILE q nd