The Detroit times., 1915-10-14
THE LITTLE lLiAp. by Maurice
Hewlett. In this book, the author


Hewlett. In this book, the author
deserts indlviduatism and treats Of
modern matrimony In interesting
fashion.
A modern Helen, not OF Troy, but
Austria this time. who storms the
heart OF five Scotchmen by her
beauty and sweetly Indifferent air.
is the heroine OF The Little lliad,"
new venture In modern matrimon-
ial intricacies by Maurice Hewlett.
Personally. we think Hewlett Is at
his best in his tales OF feudal times.
when We willingly trudge with him
through the forests and finish up,
In true medieval style. bands OF re-
tainers or cutthroats who happen In
our way. We've just enough ro-
nance left in us to respond TO his
shabbily dressed countesses or
woodland maids, as the case may be,
end exult when the robber baron
gets his just deserts and the forest
wanderers repair to the castle and
I'LL UP on something besides nuts
and roots.
This story is uitra-civilized. ex-
cepting Helen herself, who Is rather
Greek in her attitude toward life. and
TO whom one man seems pretty
much the same as another. Hector's
fine, exalted feelings are quite
thrown away on the object Of his
love, but he Is so sngrossed with
them that he never wakes up 10 the
fact The baron. Helen's husband.
a wreck OF man physically. but
very alert mentally. is the best
drawn character In the book. Helen
and he would have logged along
quite comfortably to the end. II Hec-
tor had not rescued" her from
what. I'm his eyes. If an intolerable
situation. In the end, she marries
the father OF the four young Scots
and Is as satisfied as she would have
been with any one OF them. Alto
gether, Hector wastes hts high and
mighty passion on the desert air, and
we suspect that Mr.. Hewlett knows
II. and what's more, did IL on pur-
pose with a laugh up his sleeve.
J. y. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia,
publishers. sl.35.
TREASURE, by w. Dane Bank.
The contrasting story OF two
brothers, one poor and Iovabie, the
other rich and stingy.
w. Dane Bank. who understands
the lower middle classes OF England
in an Illuminating way, Is going 10
bring about happier condition II
the gospel OF cheer and kindly love
which he sets forth in his stories has
any effect upon that somewhat
stodgy. unimpressionable people. II
seems hopeless task. for the Eng.
lish ideal OF standing fast by tradi-
has become a part of their religion
and Is q rock not easily loosened
from it's foundation
Treasure Is Mr.. Banks last
story. and Il draws contrasting pic
lures of two brothers; one poor,
good and lovable: the other miserly,
rich and devoid OF human affection.
The poor man and his family live
happy lives, and the other is IN pit
OF darkness most OF the time. There
Is some clever dialogue. and we are
sure Mr.. Bank. like Mr.. Bennett.
knows whereof he speaks.
George H. Doran, publisher, New
York. $l.25.
THE RESEARCH MAGNIFICENT.
by n. @ Wells. This book 10
unlike Mr.. Wells former works,
and II you like II a. we'll a. the
reviewer did, you'll like II I'm
menseIy.
II. G.. Wells has adopted a new
vehicle for getting his views OF life
before the public. Boon" was the
forerunner OF THE Research Mag
niflcent." which does not entirely
abandon the idea Of being a story,
though, as a matter OF fact. 1t is
Just story enough to make a sort
OF framew work and mouthpiece for
his revolt against what we call CIV
ilization. The hero. Benham. dies
like Boon and leaves a lot OF un-
related literary material which his
friend, White is supposed to make
into a book. No real book is forth
coming, and the fragments are
patched together with all the ends
flying loose. This Is, at any rate,
a new style OF literature. and many
people may not think II literature
at all, but II seems more nearly TO
describe the condition OF the inner
or real life OF man than anything
we have read. The smooth. con-
sistent accounts given In the aver
age work OF fiction are as little In
accord with the fierce struggles
and revolts In the consciousness OF
man as Is an artificial pond like
surgins ocean.
This curious book is something
Of an allegory. and the search is
for an idea. the idea being the pow.
er which will hold In sort Of bal
ance the conditions OF the world so
that the hideousness OF life may
disappear. Benham's fears and
struggles In the jungle. his hamper
ings In his search by an unintend-