The sun., 1916-01-23
OoolE NEW BOOKS.
Us>raA's Enthrsiiinx Tales.

"tNtS tHS tuCS
Page and Company JOSEPH CONRAD
has given us another volume Of four
enthralling tales: tale Of passion;
q tale OF crime; a tale Of mystery and
terror; a tale Of horror and pity. 1t is
difficult to analyze genius and to say
just why these stories stand Gar above
any other short stories now being pro-
duced. The plots are not, hut might
he. given to any genius to handle.
At any rate the supreme greatness
seems not TO lie in the plot II is in
the profound conception of character
and the interplay of character and cir
cumstance, the beauty, restraint and
accuracy Of expression and
The spirit within the sense Of ear and eye.
A soui behind the soul that seeks and
sings.
that give Conrad the power to set
forth passion as did Sappho in the
second fragment. and TO tell "a tale
Of horror and pity such as the Greek
tragedians might have told. "En-
thralling" IL the very word for Con-
rads tales. for once one begins to read
ono rarely lifts the eyes till with the
last line one draws a long breath.
Just before war was declared I went
down through the lovely county of
Kent to Ashford and there drove over
TO the low red brick house where this
word magician lives. In speaking to
him of "The End Of the Tether" l
happened to say, when that story
appeared In July. l902---" "How well
you remember dates" the novelist
exclaimed. But ! had reason to re-
member. for in that month ] did what
] had never done before and have
never done since. I took u ticket to
Rochester and having read an article
on Swinburne in the quarterly In
my hand / began THE End of the
Tether": and when II occurred to me
to raise my eyes Rochester was
thing of the past and we were well
or the way to Canterbury.
Schooled to solitude. doubtless. on
the high seas. this writer who writes
preeminently for writers. this sea cap
tain who Is one of the great geniuses
of his age. this Pole who could teach
English to most OF the people writing
It to-day, lives in a quiet little house
apart. about ten miles from u railroad
station. His writing room on the
ground floor and the right hand side
Of the door as one enters is not over
OttcH liNdueu, oHt ldICltS, ny Nui
outsiders. When one does come in the
results may be guessed from an in
cident recounted in "a Personal Rec
ord the most impersonal account of
mans life. probably. that has ever
been written. For Conrad's restraint
stretches further than the use OF
words he is extremely reserved and
one can fancy just what pain and ef-
. ht,,, ,f.s.. h..
nious glimpses into his own person.
ality which that record grants. But
II rose to enthusiasm at one point
No ditch or wall encompassed my abode.
The window was open; the door too stood
open to that best friend OF my work. the
warm still sunshine of the wide fields.
They lay around me Infinitely helpful. but,
truth to say. ! had not known for weeks
whether the sun shone upon The earth
and whether the stars above eth moved
on their appointed courses. | was just
then giving up some days OF my allotted
span to the last chapters OF the move.
"Nostromo." tale OF an imaginary ,but
true) seaboard. which is sill mentioned
now and again, and indeed kindly. some
times in connection with the word fall
ure," sometimes in connection with the
word astonishing" ! have no opinion on
this discrepancy. 1t is the sort of differ
snce that can never he settled. All
know Is that for twenty months neglect
ing the common joys OF life that fall TO
the lot of the humblest this earth,
had. like the prophet of Old. "wrestled
with the ISord' for my creation, for the
headlands Of the coast, for the darkness
Of the Placid Gulf. the light on the SHOWS.
tho clouds in the sky. and Tor the breath
OF life tina; had to he blown into tha
shapes OF men and women. OF Latin and
Saxon, OF jew and Gentle.
These are. perhaps, strong words. but
II is dlffcult 10 Chdractcrize otherwise the
intimacy and strain Of creative effort, Ia
which mind. aud Will, anu conscience are
engaged to :he full. hour after hour. day
after day away from the word, and tc
the exclusion OF al that makes l.fe rea
lovable and gentle--somet thing for whiCr
"a material parallel can only be found II
the everlasting, sombre stress OF the west
ward winter passage round cape Horn
For that, too. - the wrestling of mel
with their creator, In great Isolation
from the world, without the amenitie
and consolations Of He. lonely strugG,
under a sense Of overmatched Nttleness
for no reward that could be adequate, bu
for the mere winning OF longitude
Yet certain longitude once won vanno
be disputed. The sun and the stars an,
che shape of your earth are the wItnesse
OF your gain; whereas handful OF pages
no matter now much you have made then
your own. are at best but an obscure an,
questionable spoil Here they are: Fail
ure," astonishing" take your choice -
perhaps both, or nether--a mere rusti
and hutter OF pieces OF paper settling
down in the night and undIstnguishab!,
like the snowhakes OF a great drift des
tined 10 melt away In sunshine
How do you do?"
II was the greeting of the General
40 I hal I'D nnf ,