Evening star., 1920-06-13

Blasco IbaneZ author of THE
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
etc. Translated from the Spanish
by Hayward Keniston. New York
E. p. Dutton & Co.
ENOR IBANEz seized upon one
of the general truths of life for
the basis of this great piece of
literary artistry. If one thinks
bit all he must admit that the most
Intimate of human associations are
merely the slow process of consum-
Ing, or of being consumed-of eating,
br being eaten. The stronger per-
Bonality, either through actual
strength or unwavering persistence,
gradually absorbs its weaker mate.
Every household is an example if one
Insists on proof. In this case the uni
versal story narrows to the career OF
an artist whose visions and aspira-
lions and dreams stop short of their
rich fulfillment by the visloniess
character of an exactins wife whom
he loves. At least he loves her TN
it is quite too late to realize his mis-
sion of genius devoted to the service
|of the world In auStere devotion TO
fhe matter in hand. the writer fol-
lows the rise of the artist. the turn
howard gradually lowered 1deais. lhe
decay of the man, the ruin OF his art.
NO bit of essential reality is omitted
here, A tragic story of great power
and of common wayside application.
That it is a more poignant picture
than its innumerable examples OF the
plain garden variety present is due
ito the great promise and distinction
of it's central figure. One OF the rlch-
lest of the Ibanez novels and. possibly.
hac in coherent
ture.
HILLS OF HAN. BY Samuel Merwin,
author of THE Merry Anne, etc.
Illustrations by Walt Louderback.
Indianapolis: Bobbs Merrill Com
pany.
Plot, setting and atmosphere COM
Ibine to give one here romance quite
worth ones while. China is the back
ground into which with intimate ana
waywise touch Mr.. Merwin works
both the face of the landscape itself
and the outstanding racial features
of this age-old civilization. \ mis-
sionary settlement serves as the cen
ter from which the action of the
story radiates to the outlying native
districts. The action itself takes its
rise in the hatred of the Chinese
for the foreigner. The operating me-
dium of this race protest against
alien encroachment is one of the In
Vulnerable secret societies with winch
China is honeycombed. love story
of unusual stress of incident stu
further concentrates the big complex
of possibilities to the limits of dra-
matte portrayal. Within this tense
drama individual characters stand out
/ in clear lifelikeness- These include
| certain men of both the east and
west in their sharp contrasts of out
look, in their mutually puzzling modes
| of behavior. The definite knowledge
| of this field possessed by the author,
| coupled with keen insight and the
dramatic power of producing actual
people and situations, serves to pro-
duce a novel of unusual substance
and interest.
THE STORY OF THE GREAT WAR.
BY William Stanley Bra1thwa1te.
Illustrated. New York: Frederick
A. Stokes Company.
This story of the great war is designed
Tor young readers. 1t is, therefore, cast
in large and outstanding movements. 1t
begins with brief statement of the
causes of the war. This is followed by
a clear sketch of the chief nations in
volved-a fine unit this. Then come. in
striking outline, the campaigns of each
year of the war. The work of the Navy
is laid out in correspondence to the work
of the armies. "Marvels Of Achieve
ment' is a topic that covers the air
service. the service of doctors. inven-
tors. of the folks at home. of the volun-
teer welfare service. This notably clear
sketches of the great personalities that
the war revealed to the world-amons
them, rulers. prime ministers, generals,
admirals. With a striking picture of the
peace congress al Paris this admirably
simple and dependable story OF the grea,
war stands ready to the hands of the
young readers for whom it was made.
THE PAGAN. BY Gordon Smith. au-
thor of THE Crown of Life" etc.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
The longest and most beautiful of
these stories is that of Ferdinand
Taillandy, the pagan poet, and his
love for Diane, the daughter of Nine.
Nicolas of the little shop in the viii
1age of Evremontsur-Seine. But be-
fore this there are joyous records of
the wanderings of the young pagan
about the countryside of France. with
occasional returns to Paris for COM
radeship with the artists in their
own quarter of the great city. And
there is the friendly rescue of Diane.
come up to taste the life of Paris
poor Diane,-and the homewa~d way.
the placing of her in her own moth
er's hands, the growth sf their love
and the sad end of the beautiful love
story. The other stories are. with
two exceptions. of French incident
and atmosphere. Charming stories
filled with the Gallic spirit of deli
cacy, gayety, smiling gailantry and
simple realism in a PERFECTLY limpld
are a joy to the reader as they must
be things Of pride to the author.
THE EXPLORER. BY w. Somerset
Maugham, author Of THE Moon
and Sixpence," etc. New York:
George H. Doran Company.
The hero of Mr.. Maugham's novel
fs an African explorer, and, SO. the
story, in part, has to do with realistic
accounts of adventure in unexplored
quarters of that region. In other
parts it follows the hero to his home
In England. developing there the ro-
nance between him and Lucy Aller-
ton. This romance takes on vicissi-
tudes from the no-account quality OF
Lucy Allerton'S father and through
the outcropping weakness of her
brother whom Alex Mackenzie takes
back to Africa with him to the near
undoing of the romance itself. Mr..
Vaughan has made a place for him.
self among the young novelists of
substance, so one. naturally. accepts
a story out of his hand with very
little of questioning. Here, however.
one feels that the tendency to biog-
raphy which the novel displays too
often. and too long. takes away isom
the picturesquely vigorous movement
of the story itself. One does not like
to feel like skipping pages of solid
Geographic detail in order to reach the
place where there are things doing in
the way of adventure and character
painting.
TIME AND ETERNITY, A Tale OF
Three Exilcs. By Gilbert Cannan,
author of "Mendel.' etc. New
York: George H. Doran Company.
The three exiles come together
here in the craziest pattern of Lon