The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-02-20
BOOK REVIEWS

]MSSSHs
several essays on The evolution Of
the English language. syntax, ETY.
mology. punctuation. etc. On the
whole II would be dinicult TO say
enough In praise OF this book. II
seems 10 be a 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 or heads and then not finding
what one wants. he may now have
IL within easy reach In one comfort
able book. not too large 20 carry
about. Surely MIR. Hagar is a pub
lie benefactor and should be compli-
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.m ade
merchant OF hls 5on.
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 10 many
dyed-in.the-wool Americans. has be-
come trife the worse for years,
physically, but shows no decay OF
mental acumen.
His son, Pierrepont. has now al
tained the position OF manager in
the concern; he is married. also.
and appears TO lean upon paternal
advice as much a. 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 To steer him canoe
thru the shoals OF business and mat.
rimony. The description OF Percy
Higgins and his post graduate
course tat Harvard OF draw poker
and natural history las embodied
in the poniesl and how he started
learning the business at the top
is chapter which might be whole.
some reading for that rare minority
OF the population. the sons OF mil.
lionaires.
Grosset & Dunlap. publishers. New
York.
PLAYS OF THE NATURAL AND
SUPERNATURAL: by Theodore
DRESSER, the great American nov
elist whose book, "The Genius" 10
causing 90 much disturbance to
the Vice Society OF New York.
These plays OF Mr.. Dresser can
easily take their place beside those
oi Isben. Brieux and Maeterlinck
They are radical in their social
lessons, exquisite in their depth OF
feeling and symbolic like those of
the great Belgian. Just how any
virile mind can consider that Mr.
Dresser is harmful factor in the
country. il tia difficult to imagine.
The case OF The Genius" H. now
being tried in the courts. and the
Authors League of America as well
as the foremost writer's OF Great
Britain are behind the author
The present volume contains "A
play which-for pathes and dramatic
power can only be compared with
the Maternity" of BrieuX. From a
literary standpoint. II is perfect.
II is called THE Girl in the CONN. %
and each character Is very cosmos
OF the emotions OF the universal
life. The entire life OF the girl" Is
felt by few words from those
about the coffin and the most perfect
touch Ii that of the little. simple.
old woman who feigns complete tx.
norance while knowing the entire
story.
Mr.. Dresser is an artist lie Va one
of the very few Americans who sees
American life as II is and is able
TO find a soul in the hard. CONNER.
cial tawdryness OF II 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 so sordid
but Theodore Dresser can see be-
meath II the cause. the excuse and
the possible good His is 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.
sI25.
GETTING TOGETHER; by Ian
Hay, an EngIishmsn who 10 lee.
turing turnout the United States
on different aspects OF the Euro
pean war.
Mr.. Hay believes that u the Am
erican and the Britisher were to
get tosether" they would Hear I'm a