Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-27
THE DRAGON PAINTER. BY Mary Nj

THE DRAGON PAINTER. BY Mary Nc
Neil Fenollosa, author Of Truth Dex-
of the Nest" "A Flight of Verses sc.
Illustrated by Gertrude Mcdaniel.
Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Mrs Feneilosa has shown virtuosty in
her grasp of the spirit of the older Japa-
nese art, incarnate in the old painter. Kano
1ndara. She has shown herself to be SYM
pathetic to rare degree with s--e delicate
and restrained beauty. the touch OF fantasy,
that forms the heart of Japan. But most
of all she has been able to express love
drama that Is compounded OF fire and
tears.
The story is of Kano Indara, the best OF
his school of painters. who, yet knowing
himself to be below the greatest. who. hay
ing no son to inherit his Skill and with 1t
rise to the heights he himself had not
scaled. when he hears of the wild mountain
youth, the dragon painter Tatsu. he has
no thought but to adopt him work with him
and see the dream of his art fulfilled. That
It is necessary to make the beautiful
daughter of Ume-ko the pawn in his enter
prise is not repugnant to the spirit of old
Japan. In the wild tempest of emotion
which is the outcome it is Ume-ko, ex-
uulste flower of maidenhood, who rises to
eelf-sacrihce. Through her her husband
comes to selfmastery and conservation to
his art. Through her her little world rests
at last In love and peace.
The book Is moving and impr eSstve. II
tustifes the opinion of her admirers. that
Mrs. Fenollosa is the greatest living inter
prefer of Japan. She has had abundant
opportunity, from her part in her husbands
research and from long residence In Japan.
to qualify herself for this work. But more
than this, The Dragon Princess IS fiction
of a high order. IT shows constructive skill,
diversity of types within its narrow field,
quiet humor and compelling pathos
THE IMPERsONATOR. BY Mary Inlay
Taylor. author of My Lady Clam
carly" &C. Illustrated by Oh. Grun-
valid. Boston: Little, Brown < %.
1.-THE Impersonator'' will prove of excep-
sional interest to Westinghouse. Its set
ting the teas, receptions. balls, musicale
Mt the White House and happenings In
congressional galleries and committee
rooms will be recognized by one class
Of readers and seized upon with eager Curl
osity by another that has known only
the outside of administrative and diplomat
l. circles. And the story itself compels
attention. Once grant the within by which
girl of refined sensibilitieS succumbs to
the temptation of pretending to be another.
the succession of incidents in which she
finds herself involved follow with impress
sve logic Mary Lang Is the daughter
OF an actress. fresh from Partisan con-
vent. who. at the request OF May Hadding
comes to Washington in her place in an
swer to the invitation of an aunt, q leader
In society and an autocrat. The humor
and satire with which social life in the
capital and the ramifications of political
Intrigue deserved popularity, even IL the
book a deserved popularity. even II the
charming love storyand surprising de-
nouement did not add an exceptional de-
gree of interest There Is a sprightliness
of wit and control of plot which keeps
the reader absorbed to the end.
NhITE FANG. BY Jack London, author
of The Call of the Wild" New / ork
The Macmillan Company.
Jack London is in his own proper field
In this poignant story of the hunger cry.
the laws of the open and the lure of the
tame. through which the Gray Cub becomes
q sleeping wolf. 1t Is the antithesis of the
"CaIl of the Wild" its oarollary con-
verse. The strain of the dog in the wolf
asserts itself and twice in his life he barks
in the pure dog fashion. The "reminiscences
of nature is presented with that thorough
insight and vivid style which has singled
out London from the host of writers of
animal life, and from the tragic picture of
the famine in the first chapters to the
heroism of White Fang at the close the
book is remarkable for its hold upon the
eympathies and its power. 1t Is moreover
strongly illustrated.
Rabbit. Interpreted by William ].
Long. Illustrated by Charles Copeland.
Boston: CHM & Co.
ITO those who have found their own
world to be something of brier-patch" Mr..
Long dedicates his letter book of cheerful
philosophy" AS 1t is not improbable that
this class includes the major part Of the
eedate and thinking world. the book should
have a UNIVERSAL appeal. And in support
Of this appeal "Brfer-Patch Philosophy" Is
able to offer strong claims.
Although the first chapter: ION the sweet
yeaSonableness of animal thinking" Is q
more or less direct answer to the attacks
of some time ago, with a delicate under
current of the controversial. Mr.. Longs
book is only in a minor degree argumenta-
tive. Consequently, while some readers will
be convinced by ingenious syAogisms and
carefully chosen Illustrations that animals
really do reason, more Will be charmed by
the sunny atmosphere which pervades this
latest nature book by nature lover. AL
though Mr.. Long has but scant sympathy
for the psychologists who experiment with
Gagged monkeys he has great sympathy
with the innocent denizens OF the forest.
He finds. moreover. IN their sweet reason
ableness" much that naughty man might
study 10 copy.
Whether the reader agrees with Mr..
Longs conclusions or not. he cannot fail
20 be Influenced by the tenderness with
which he writes Of his feathered and furred
friends. and by the simplicity and beauty
of his diction. The full-page Illustrations
and the marginal concentrations are con-
ceived in the happiest manner. The book
Is delight to the eye and the paper Is
gratifying to the sense OF touch. "Brier-
Patch Philosophy" Is an achievement in
bookmaking.
THE VOYAGES AND EXPLORATIONS
OF SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN (i604-
1870. Narrated by Himself. Trans
lated by Annie Nettleton Bourne. To-
gether with the Voyage of 1903, Re
printed from "Purchas His Pilgrlmes."
Edited with Introductions and Notes
by Edward Gaylord Bourne, professor
OF history in Yale University. Illus
trated. New York: A S. Barnes & Co.
The recent dedication OF a monument to
Champlain on Mount Desert Island is only
one indication Of q growing interest in this
great explorer and colonizer While others
have surpassed him in the mere extent of
territory explored, probably not one per-