The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-16
SOME NEW BOOKS.


The world is divided as to his worth
aud his wisdom, but there seems to be
no doubt in any mes mind as to his
wit. lie is in line with the great
.humorists Of the world-Moliere. Vol
.taire, Swift. Heine. Shaw. Germany.
France. even america. were swifter TO
acknowledge Shaw than his own oun
try, az is witnessed by ArGrsTIN
1iAMoN's The Tucntioh Century
Noiicrc. translated from the French
by Eden Paul and Cedar Paul tStokes).
q is TRANCE that England should have
been slow to acknowledge Shaw. for
in the main his wit Is glorified common
sense. He is never more caustic and
scathing than when he is dealing with
sc ntimentality, romantic idealism or
,any form of falschood. He places his
philosophy on a firm footing of real
ism. If he goes astray il IL by the
c>e.neveiopsnent of his faculty. He
has set himself TO penetrate all shams
and all hypocrisies. IL II possible that
In performing his task he has. like too
clever a detective. suspected crimes
where there are none?
One Of the hypocrisies Shaw has
uncovered is that OF family affection.
practically assures us that there
Is no such thing: that children an
always more or less secretly In revolt
against parents and that parental Iowa
Is q form of self-indulgent tyranny.
The lesson Is a good one. II is quite
true hat the intimacy Of family life.
the likeness Of family traits fire.
iQuently beget rudeness and quarrels.
But the general thesis Is wrong. Just
~ 1t Is true. as Shaw himself points
out in a recently published article on
ireland. that small nations cannot
thrive by trying TO stand alone and
separate. so the individual cannot stand
alone. but Is strengthened and upheld
by family affections. family loyalties.
family pride. A man is what he IL in
himself and also what all his human
relations. loyalties and environment
make him. This Shaw. the rampant
1ndlvidualist. has overlooked. He has
created a legend Of himself. and who
ever writes Of him has innumerable
anecdotes at hand. At one of his pub
lie lectures the chairman leaned over
and asked him the title of his lecture.
ut has not one" responded Mr.. Shaw.
Tell them It will be announced at the
c.ose." Again the chairman announced:
"Mr. Shaw will be glad to answer all
reasonable questions" But I prefer
unreasonable ones" said the unsup.
pressible me in IA stage whisper.
The only person known to have
come of even with Mr.. Bernard Shaw
1n a tilt is Lady Randolph Churchill.
who invited him to lunch to meet some
Americans. He telegraphed her In re-
ply: Certainly not. What have I
done to provoke such an attack upon
my we'll known habits?" The lady
responded. also by wire: know moth
ing of your habits: hope better than
your Mariners" The story usually
ends there with Lady Randolph
ahead. AS a matter of act tie long,
kindly. reasonable letter in which the
author explains himself is excellent
and leaves him victor:
NJ DEAR LADY: Do he reasonable. what
N earth am I TO do: II l refuse an in
vitation In the conventional phrases. IT 10
understood that l want TO break OF all
relations. II / make the customary ex-
cuses TO the effect that I have another
engagement. I shall receive another invt.
tation. and perhaps when l have refused
six times running my would-bc hostess
Mvu," e"'ne !" nc .ono''sio" 'na' ! hau
- IN" srsrna,"'. y, ,nnan,nn p',, !, ~,
case 7 .,,oniJ he horrihiv hored and I
sxhould die of hunger, should have no
better opportun'ty Of seeing and talking
to my hostess than II | were 20 meet her
by chance at the savoy Hotel should
So ho'"'hs :" eat LOT W" nov eat thf
4. riLe,, 80 49,, nc.oi 80
I, /. no, a, NIL avrec,ble 70 mo
20 come to luncheon with a lot of carni.
vores. OF necrophagL, Besides. 1t breaks
I. mp my mornings work. I won't lunch
- y" ~ . .a"e az n "''
.,,it,,n 80 -. =, -
and nriyIlored conditions 10 tho s,,,rs
exclusion OF the crowd for whose yratirca.
ton YOU would serve me up, But II az
any time whatsoever ! can do you n real
service you nave only 10 cal! upon me:
"'a' ! eNN' i"'
= me truth OF the matter is, Shaw
exploits himself Ia his W advantage,
but ne Is ar TOO clever To let other
people exploit him for their advan-
tage. lie is perhaps the most mac
cessible lion In London to-day. He
will not be lured out to be looked at
by the curious. knowing that adver-
tisement IL one of the chief conditions
OF success in modern life. he frankly
confesses: Il advertised myself so
sedu'ous'y that l find myself IN mil