The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-19
BOOK REVIEWS

JN&9A3H4S8v
several essays on The evolution Of
the English language. syntax. ETY..
mology. punctuation. etc. On the
whole II would be difficult TO say
enough In praise or this book. II
seems 20 be combination OF plain
dictionary. encyclopedia. history.
grammar. practical information on
all sorts OF matters. government, art.
science. and almost anything one
could mention. Instead OF delving
In numerous volumes, under va
riety OF heads and then not finding
what one wants. he may now have
IL within easy reach In one comfort
able book. not too large TO carry
about. Surely Mr. Hagar is a pub
lie benefactor and should be eompli.
mented upon this enormous task so
ably performed.
World Syndicate Company. pub
fishers. New York.
OLD ooRooN GRAHAM: by
George Horace Lorimer. A new
volume Of letters from a self-rn ade
merchant OF his son.
Old Gorgon Graham, who brought
up his son with such purely Ameri-
can worldly wisdom. from the stand.
point OF the Chicago packer. and
brought smiles OF delight TO many
dyed-in-the-wool Americans. has be
come a trife the worse for years.
physically. but shows no decay OF
mental acumen.,
His son. Pierrepont. has now at
tanned the position OF manager" in
the concern: he is married. also,
and appears TO lean upon paternal
| advice as much IA he did IN former
days. Old Graham writes from Ger.
man baths. whittier he has gone for
govt and other ailments. and tells
his son just how 10 steer him canoe
thru the shoals OF business and mat.
| rimony. The description OF Percy
| Higgins and his post graduate
course tat HaryardD OF draw poker
and natural history las embodied
in the poniesl. and how ne started
learning the business lat the top,
Is a chapter which might be whole.
some reading for that rare minority
OF the population. the sons OF mil.
lionaires
Grosset e. Dunlap. publishers. New
York.
PLAYS OF THE NATURAL AND
SUPERNATURAL; by Theodore
Dresser. the great American nov.
eIist whose book, 1.-THE Genius" Is
causing 90 much disturbance to
the Vice Society OF New York.
These PLAYS OF Mr. DRESSER can
easily take their place beside those
OF Isb~n. Brieux and Maeteriinck
They are radical in their social
lessons. exquisite in their depth OF
feeling and symbolic like those OF
yirile mind can consider that Mr.
Dresser Is a harmful factor in the
country. II It's difficult TO imagine.
The case OF The Genius" Is now
being tried in the courts. and the
Authors League OF America as well
AZ the foremost writer's OF Great
Britain are behind the author
The present volume contains a
play which for pathos and dramatic
power can only be compared WIN
the Maternity OF Brieu1 From a
literary standpoint. IL is perfect.
II ia called The Girl In the Coffin. {"
and each character Ia very cosmos
OF the emotions OF the universal
life. The entire life OF the girl" In
felt by n few words from those
about the comm and the most perfect
touch In that OF the little, simple,
old woman who fefgns complete ig-
norance while knowing the entire
story
Mr.. Dresser is An artist he is one
OF the very few Americans who sees
American life as II is and is able
10 unu roul IN inc ndfus COInm
cial tawdryness OF IL all. His is the
magic touch which transforms the
common. ordinary. daily struggle OF
men and women into something
heart-breaking. noble and divine.
There is no circumstance 30 sordid
but Theodore Dresser can see be-
meath II the cause. the excuse and
the possible good His is a big soul
and America would better recognize
her geniuses than wait until Europe
has shown them to her. II was not
until England had found Poe and
Whitman that We were able to un.
derstand that'here, at last, we had
produced a poet
John Lane, publisher, New York.
1926.
GETTING ToGETHER; by Ian
Nav an Enalish man vvho IN ier