Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-20
Reviews of New Books

one sided battle on shipboard. and.
finally. to a consistent and dramatic
Strengthening out of the tangie pro.
duced by the discovery and rescue OF
Mark Shore. 1t is short, clean. cut
story that holds a many-sioed act1on
to simple outlines and uninvolved &C
ton. It's characters are OF the right
sort-human beings. all right at
heart though for the time being ap-
parently quite wrong under the
stresses of occasion and temperament
Its atmosphere is freshly exotic as
that of the South Sea Islands would
be to the continental reaoer. And
beside all this the work has insight of
a high order and a finish that is
clearly literary in essence
THE CRICKET. BY Marjorie Benton
Cooke, author of "Bambi," etc. IL
Illustrations by J. Scott Williams.
New York: Doubleday, Page & Co.
Half a dozen average little girls
must have gone into the vat Of this
authors invention in order to extract
the essential oil Of pure perversity of
which this small heroine is COM
pounded. No one child could, natu-
rally. hold it in the abundance and
ingenuity OF actloh Win " hiSh ~ po'
sessed Isabelle Bryce. The despair of
her parents the terror of her COM
panions. the joy of the onlooker safe
ly outside the zone of her operations,
Isabelle-the "Cricket"-sees to it
that her family and neighborhood
have no spare moments OF boredom,
or even of security. The story is a
whirl Of events. all originated and
carried through with high hand by
this inspiration of mischief and dar-
ing. Setting out at the age of four:
the Cricket takes over the JOB or
smashing all the laws laid down for
the behavior of the young female. till,
Larry O'Leary slips the moose of mat
rimony over her slim shoulders. there
by easing up somewhat the strenuous
career Of the girl The story leaves
the turbulent heroine at this point.
but the imaginings of the reader go
hand of the masterful O'Leary. None
SO tame. finally. as the early over
bold. Suggestions that keep well out
of the way of the drama itself gave
pathetic picture Of the neglected
little rich girl whose parents are silly
one sees also the sufferings of high
~ imaginative youngster in prosaic
everyday world, However the story
is not pointed directly upon lessons
for the upbringing of the young. 1t
is. on the contrary, whirlwind ad-
venture that is more than likely to
bring up. ultimately, in FINLAND.
ROUSSEAU AND ROMANTICISM. BY
Irving Barrett, professor of French
literature, Harvard University, au-
thor of Masters of Modern French
Criticism etc. Boston: Houghton
Miff1in Company.
In this exhaustive analysis Of literary
Prof. Barrett accepts Rous-
seau as the most conspicuous exponent
of movement that, beginning in the
century, continued through
the succeeding hundred years and
spread from France to international
boundaries. The study is, in effect,
critical examination into the quality of
Imagination that sourced and controlled
the creative writing of this long period
and of this widely disseminated prac-
tice. Its prime purpose is to show that
the quality of Imagination underlying
the art of romantic literary creation
differs essentially from the quality OF
that producing the arts of classic crea-
ton. In word. that there are two
types of imagination-on the one hand
the ethical type that yields substance,
seriousness, permanency to creative
Writing, on the OIueE manu- CNc Ar
cadian or dalliant" type that lifts crea-
tive literature no higher than the plane
of recreation or diversion. Through
wealth of concrete example in support
and illustration of this thesis the writer
points to the dominant emotionalism of
the romantic movement in its chaotic
effects not only upon literature but. ulti-
mate1y, upon the civilization itself,
which not only shapes creative art, but
which is, in turn, shaped by 1t. Moving
out into the plane Of general life, the
writer Celebrates the quality of the
ethical imagination in it's bearing upon
the higher aims of civilization as well
as upon the purposes of an enduring
and potential art. The book, addressed
to special students primarily. is an
application Of the authors argument
embodied in 1.-THE Masters of Modern
French Criticism"
JAPAN AND WORLD PEACE. By X.
X. Kawakami, author of Japan in
World Politics." etc. New York:
The Macmillan Company.
The purpose of this frank discussion
Of the affairs Of Japan is to describe in
fair detail the aspirations of Japan
under the new world order that is being
created at the peace conference. The
author, himself Japanese, is in close
touch with the underlying motives of
Japan's domestic and foreign policies.
These motives. he points out, spring
from certain fundamental conditions of
the country-from the population prob
lem. from the alarming scarcity of es-
from the proximity Of a chaotic China,
and SO on. Moving out from these condi-
lions, the writer defines such measures
of relief as have shaped the political
and industrial aspirations of Japan.
These point upon expansion. upon
greatly augmented industry and foreign
trade. At length the writer discusses
the relations existing between China and
his own country discussion which
ends with the conclusion that China is
utterly incapable Of managing her
own affairs and with the conclusion
ianship is the only hope of that dis
organised land. The study possesses
the distinct advantage of an intimate
knowledge Of the subject under con-
and Of presenting it. as well,
the Whan % ess apd n
complete frankness the writer states
the grievance Of Japan against the
American attitude toward his country,
as well as that Of the whole western
world which. he says. maintains double
orally informing and highly .iliumina-
tive in respect to certain matters Of
contention.
THE AMERICAN. By Mary Dillon,
author Of Comrades" etc. With
illustrations by R. M. Brinkerhoff.
New York: The Century Company
This romance Of the immediate pres
ent concerns the son Of millions and
lovable Irish lad who are alike only in
their alteration for the same girl.
The war uplifts Pierre Paschal from
obscure poverty to the silver bars Of an