New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-06
II.


You make the acquaintance Of editors
and sub-editors, reporters OF all grades.
| oifice boys, managers. and the rest.
The rush and roar Of II are in these
pages. We go with the reporter on his
assignments, we see how he does his
work; comedy and tragedy mingle.
| And the story moves on irresistibly,
| inevitably, to its tragic end. 1t is, first
or all, the Observation-Disclosures English
| or American matters MOTTO whom the
| book will appeal. To the larger public
| to whom Journalism is a world Of mys-
| terry 1t Will appeal by its revelations
of this inner unknown existence, and
by the human quality which is seen
not TO be wanting even in journalism.
Mr.. A. E. W. Mason must be known
| to the American reading public If only
! by his latest story, The Turnstile."
published this year in "Scribner's Mag
| azine." But he was known before that
He has visited the United States: and
did not, like Mr.. Filson Young, write
| lampoons on the people who had re-
| ceived him with kindness, nor assure
! the English that all Americans are vul-
| gar. Mr.. Mason is, first Of all, a col
! !ector He collects material for his
! novels wherever the scene OF each is
I laid; or part OF the scene. He went to
! South America for The Turnstile,"
! crossing the Andes twice For THE
| Broken Road" which is perhaps his
best novel, he visited India and brought
a great deal Of India home with him.
He travelled in Morocco in the days
when IL You turned your head you were
likely to look down a gun barrel point
ed at you by picturesque ruffian who
had views about the redistribution OF
property not unlike those of Mr.. Henry
George and Mr.. Lloyd George: though
by different and less effective methods.
The same views are held to-day in
Marakesh and in Midlothian: The points
of resemblance between FL Hiba and
Messrs. Shaw and Cultivate being
more marked than the unlikeness. Mr..
Mason has been in Parliament. as
member for Coventry, from 1906 10
1910 and in The Turnstile" has used.
perhaps too freely, his Parliamentary
experiences: which rather overload his
book.
Overlooking Is, In truth, a 100 fire.
quent result Of specializing; which time
and practice ought to correct, and
sometimes do. There's a striking ex-
ample in Madame Marcelle Tinayre.
who must, l think. be placed next after
NJ. Anatole France among living French
writers. The book which made her
famous was La Maison de Peche." To
write ii she had studied the history Of
Port Royal and the great controversy
between Jansenists and Jesuits. She
had not then learned TO handle such
masses Of material as she had accumu-
lated. She poured II into ler book
without stint: which therefore at times
ceased to be a novel and became big
pamphlet. Then. for la Vie Amoureuse
de FRANCOIS Barbazange.' she took the
Scarron period, and saturated her mind
with the philosophers and romance
writer's Of the late seventeenth CEN
fury. But by this time she had learnt
her trade. and instead Of burdenlng her
book with learning for which II was no
place contented herself with creating
an atmosphere which her characters
and readers alike breathed. AS a piece
Of art in literature. this second book Is
therefore better than the first. 1t is
open TO Mr. Mason to profit by her ex-
perience.
In other respects he is an expert
craftsman His novels are novels OF
adventure and circumstance, rather
than of character. lie is an observer
who prefers to observe other things
than human nature. He has invention.
and the kind OF talent which goes 10
the putting together Of a piece OF com
plicated machinery. Narrative and the
unfolding Of plot are things he under
stands: and the art OF holding his
readers.
His books are, like himself. very
much alive. When he IS not roaming
over the face Of the earth. and for
choice in It's less civilized parts, he lives
quietly in the Isle Of Wight some four
hours away from London; to which he
makes excursions AS a writer Of plays
he has had several failures and one
considerable success. A new play is
preparing. II is never safe 20 predict
success for any play, no matter by
whom. but 1t is safe TO suppose that
Mr.. Mason has dramatic career be-
fore him The English like to define
man In whom social qualities are highly
developed as clubable man. That
describes Mr.. Mason. 1t Is not a little
remarkable that he should have had
force Of character enough to give UP
his political career. You would think
him well fitted for politics. But he
found il a case of serving Two mas
ters. and that ne had to choose between
Parliament. where ne had made for
himself a place; and Literature, in
which his real life was bound up.
Since he withdrew from the House 1t
Is clear enough that concentration upon
his work as writer has been it's own
lite ctv - fuilar -1nra r.