Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-24

Nl.l once IN long petNteH "hh's
does a reader come upon a real
real book When these rare
and blessed happenings do take
place, within the first nan
dozen pages pleasure begins to wrap one
about and he setti $ to the incomparaoe
joys of "a truly fine story. This. by the
wav of saying that Mr.. Marriott's new
book is the source of our present amiabil-
ity toward the whole writing world. What
the story is about does not so much mat
ter. Though it really is about its hero
achievement OF another mans wife. IL
might however. with equal effect. have
been built upon the most well ordered
convention that a self-distrustful people
ever hedged around itself. One is not
uudul.- concerned here about the move
ment of events, where they are going,
when they will pile up into examinations.
His delight. instead. lies in loiterings and
lingerings all along the way, to catch the
subtle knowingneSs of this writer about
the folks around him. to hold these ample
Iren and women within sight ana hearins
and to tally them up secretly with one
own inner humanties- Above all does
one marvel at the fluid speech that flows
into the perfect mold of the author
thoughts and feelings. 1t Is TO feed
ones mind and heart, and what there is
of the artist in him-ths book.
MAYNARD FEET. BY a. r; Goring-
Park" etc New York: John Lane
Company.
To construct a book by means OF con-
yersation is hazardous experiment
Few beside Oscar Wilde and Bernard
Shaw have talked we'll enough-and
well enough of the time-to risk the
permanency of print Here, however,
this easy writer has built clever and
charming story almost wholly out or
the daily to-and-fro talk of the people
gathered together here by incident. and
situation. and common intent. The ef-
feet is that of a radiant Effectiveness
Back and forth the story shuttles be-
tween Paris and the old walled town or
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. sketch1ng hooks
and corners by the way. Such enchant-
ing hooks and corners these, each soaked
in it's own mood of sky and air, that
one stops reading TO make the VOW to
see them. each and several, some day.
However, this is not matter or
scenery. 1t Is, on the contrary. a
transcriptive story of human life, as 1t
beats about two women. each or whom
works out into it's full current. accord
ing to what she has inside herself as
the instruments of her emergence. One,
a beautiful young girl. becomes the GEN.
ter of glorified idyl of love. The other
falls victim to the French marriage
revolt against the vested rights of the
male i'm his lawful female This part
of the story is strangely intimate
revelation of the bondwoman's secret
thoughts and feelings. Its justification
is its obvious sincerity concerning a
state that may. perchance, represent
vastly more cases than the isolate one
here set down. Sincerity is the supreme
quality that underlies every part of this
exceptional story, vita1izing it's char
acters. dramatizing it's situations, per-
fecting it's art.
LANDMARKS IN FRENCH LITERA-
TURE. BY G. l.. Strachey. sometime
scholar of Trinity College. CAM
bridge. New York Henry Holt & Co.
This absorbing survey OF French litera-
ture is procession, pageant. stretch
ing from the dim beginnings of French
letters in the dark ages up to yesterday
with ,Maupassant and Verlaine closing to
the gates against the writer's of today
and tomorrow. An amazing roster of
genius. a rare and particular genius. and
its works. The author moves swiftly
from age to age, from period to period OF
the literature OF France. selecting out of
each its fullest type, examining this In
the certain light OF intimate knowledge
and keen penetration. About each Of these
types he groups the intellectual and artis-
tic personalities that contributed to Its
form and substance Finally, he gathers
the SplenQlu NOiume up as something IN
tnitely precious, a thing perfect. as q
deep-hearted flashing, fiawless diamond
is perfect. yet, withal. thing of flower
like delicacy and fragrance. Questing
the sources of this distinct and individual
literature. stamped with the realism Of
Balzac. and Flaubert. and Maupassant,
with the brilliant lucidity of VOltaire.
with the force and precision of Pascal.
author points. 1.-The one high principle
which. through so many generations. has
guided like a star the writers Of France,
is the principle of elaboration. of inten-
ton, of conscious search for ordered
beauty; an unwavering. an indomitable
pursuit of the endless glories OF art"
This admirably concise and brilliant study
is one OF the very best in the long list
IF excellencies that have gone into the
making of the Home Library or the
Henry Holt house.
THE WORLDS LEADING POETS. BY
H. w Boynton. The Worlds Leader
Series. edited by W. r. Trent With
portraits. New York: Henry Holt
A. co.
Greece, Italy. England and Germany
maintain the glory here OF having pro-
duced the half dozen great poets Of the
western world. Homer Virgil, Dante.
Shakespeare. Milton and Goethe make UP
this distinguished group. One looks for
Molierc dramatic poet second to Shake
France stands outside the pale OF poetic
greatness. This study. an exceptionally
we'll projected one, makes pointed. sub
stantial, well ordered review of the lives
of the poets. These are superior records,
in thSS they add to the common bio
graphic framework such qualities OF
heart. and mind. and action go into
the making of fiesh-and-b blood men whom
one can touch. and understand. and fol-
low. To remarkable degree Mr.. Boyn-
ton frees these men from the sacrosanct
character in which most dead and gone
greatness commonly lies mummied and
brings them into the readers zone Of