Evening star., 1909-09-11
BOOK. VIEWS.

an of Babylon" etc New York: Z.
p. Dutton & Co.
~N this strenuous work-a day world.
from whose every trifing turning
point stares out mortal problem
TO be set at rest and whose every
product. even these esthetic ones,
must bear the trade mark of fidelity
to fact. it is a delight-a dear delight
that now and then, bubbles gently in the
hearts of the best of us, at duty tenn
porar rily defied and conscience for the
once denied-to HE away 10 another time
and place less crowded. more colorful
than this, where there are still beauteous
ladies to be rescued or stolen. by glorious
heroes in brave attire on steeds that stiil
remember how to caracole and champ the
bit-not chew it-while from their silver
trappings they shake out sounds, musical.
hut all defiant; and where, midst sllther-
ing swords. the hero, sometimes unscath-
ed, but more often wounded, seemingly.
10 the death. passes. from victory 10
victory, to the lady-well-nigh done with
waiting and dangerS-whom he trium-
phantly bears away to share with MN tne
ioys of mutual love. What If such
story be not true to life, Ii is fine III
well done) and we all like it, because. nap
PLY, endowed. to greater or
git. surely, seeing that it loosens up
things about us a bit and permits US 10
live here a little longer or such cast,
in the main. is this particular story Inc
hero AT times almost approaches II At
,tagnan;'he and his two companions clear
~ suggest the immortal musketeers.
Accused, at this point. of waste OF
that most valuable of our modern assets
time, in dallying over tales that nave
no place save in the mind of mere
dreamer of dreams. the reader, coward
like. puts in the plea that this book Is
history also. whose utility none can deny
For do there not here appear Henry
Tudor with most worshipful and klngly
mien? and Thomas More in the dreamers
hood? and Erasmus in the priests best
garb? and Melancthon? and Martin Lu-
ther with the monks rough dress and the
peoples heart? And is it not set down in
The quaint and circumstantial way that
marked the time, and is 1t not a true
picture OF the great Worlu-moVement OF
the early sixteenth century? blend OF
fiction and history. And there's the rub!
The first half of the book throbs with the
romance OF departing chlvalry. Ihen
comes a pause in which, with reference
and quotation. and the precision of the
modern historical method, are given the
life and influence of Martin Luther in the
final transition from middle age 10
modern. out of this. in turn. dribbles
thin stream OF romance TO settle the love
issues of the pair that, in the beginning,
stirred our hearts. Maybe this is the
books art-to show this stupendous world
change and TO deal with the two master
passions of life--love and religion 1t is
beguilinS book.
MELCHISEDEC. BY Ramsey Benson,
author of "A Lord of Lands. New
York: Henry Holt * CO.
Here is a vivid consistent story of reli-
gious cast about an Indian boy, one de-
prived of his full heritage of savage
through the exciting influences of pro-
miscuous white ancestry on the paternal
side Neurotic and unstable but at base
an Indian still, his activities are spas
medically excessive his dreams are
visions. his religion an ecstasy. The reac-
tions of civilized life upon this boy. to
which he finally comes in his search for
God through the self-constituted priestly
offices of service to man, make the Ioun-
dation of the story. Poor Shack. Simple
in complex world, natural midst con-
vention. improvident, generous, credulous
with insincerity about him, sometimes the
priest in spirit and action, but often the
savage-woefully untuned to life. Poor
Shack. Overstressed by his own nature
ntfuI-futile, In his quick uncertain flight
and passing he is pathetically like
Slimmering FREELY in a gas-lighted world.
A LIFE OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.
BY Sidney Lee. New York: The
Brentano'S.
In view of the full photography at
hand bearing upon the life of the great
dramatist, new volume son this sub
ject unless controlled by a purpose dis
tinctIy apart from those for which the
others have been made, is clearly work
of supererogation, and readers may well
he pardoned a query to cover the rea-
sons for its production. The general pur-
pose-and one not altogether exclusive
that stands sponsor for this book is to
meet the keen interest felt by all lovers
of literature in any item concerning the
personality that broods behind the crea-
tion itself. the specific keyword of the
work is authenticity. duly attested fact.
The writer, for many years now devoted
10 the study of literature, obviously COM
prehends that the thing over which he
pores is but the manifestation of a man,
one breat hing the same air eating the
same sort of food, seeing the same sights,
dominated by the same habits OF living
as other men-bGt more universal, su-
perman. What the gift? What the al
Chemy? These are for the reader to pom
der. For him, the author, ii is to spread
out after much patient search and re-
search the mere physical influences of life
that went into the making of this great
personality-facts, all duly substantiated,
some vital, others less important but
contributory, and significant. This
edition tightens up the earlier one by the
addition of recently discovered material
bearing upon the life of Shakespeare.
THE HUNGRY HEART. Novel BY
David Graham Phillips. New York
ID. Appleton x Co.
Mr.. Phillips conception of a woman's
hungry heart leaves the reader in doubt
as To whether he intends his book to be
taken seriously or to be considered merely
as a travesty on the problem novel. Here
is the story:
Courtney Vaughan. possessing a loyal
husband a small son and a beautiful
home. is dissatisfied because she is only
wife and mother. She demands equality
with her husband and the right to share
in the chemical researches TO which he
gives the greater part of his time Rich
ard refuses. and she resents being thrust
out from the inmost recesses of his life.
Returning home from visit she goes into
her husbands rooms and gets her first
knowledge that a man guest is in pos
session. Richard having moved his own
sleeping quarters to his laboratory at the
far end of The grounds. Basil Gailatins
beautiful neckties and monogramed I'M
derwear appeal 10 Courtney's hungry
heart, and the balance OF the book is
given over to an intrigue unfit for readers
unfamiliar with the gross things of life,
and too BADLY brutal for veterans in in
iquity who like even their immoralities
draped with romance.
The husband upon learning the state OF