The Washington herald., 1920-11-05
Story of Ex-Premier's Wife
Is Eulogized and Flayed by
Press and Public in Great Britain
Hoyden, Flirt and Woman Of World Is London
Times Term; Eulogized by News.

quently mentioned in the Diary
writes In the Daily Mail, comment
Ing on the book:
"All the startling. experiences o.
life Of adventures, Of courtship
Of the character OF friends and re.
lations, the pangs of bereavement,
or confinement. are here boldly re.
corded during the lifetime of the
writer and Of many whom sh,
writes.
Says Occurrence II Rare.
Whether the world will be the
wiser by these intimate disclosures
whether they throw new light or
human life. sufficient to JUSTLY
them. may be doubted. The episodes
themselves are not uncommon
Quite a large proportion of the
human race have shared just sucf
experiences, but the unfolding o.
them through the columns of news
papers-that, comparatively speak,
ing. Is rare.
But the book is excellent reading
throughout. 1t is full of variety
and free from tedious narration
with a light shade and a sense OF
due proportions. 1t is animated
from the first page TO the last by a
ripLlIng flow of life and interest.
Like brook the story bubbles
on, shallow and sparkling. usually
Iimpid. giving broken and feetins
ghmpses but at the same time a
vivid reflection of men and women
Of affairs. their joys and their sor-
rows, their good feelings and some
feelings that are not SO good.
Lived Near Center of World.
Tee impression which the an.
thoress conveys is that she was in
the most intimate contact with the
most distinguished people of her
time and that she is thoroughly
justified in her writings by the
facts. She is not one Of those writ
ers who, on the fringe of society,
occasionally obtain glimpses of
prominent people and hear snatches
Of conversation which they dill
gently record until they have
enough to make a book.
Mrs. Asquith has lived at or near
the center of the London world.
Practically her whole life and her
striking personality. her exceptional
gifts and her audaclous vitality
brought her in touch with the
stirring events of the times while
she was very young lady. and she
became brilliant and remarkable
figure"
"Maiice i'm BIunderland.p
The Morning Post prints the most
brilliant review of Mrs. Asquith's
book, under a heading Malice in
Bluderland."
Her account of the political life
OF the nearer past and its protago-
nists Is now known not to be a.
relation of hidden truths. It is all
a mirage OF faIsities and faIlacies
created by a blazing egotism unique
I'M the HISTORY of English litera-
tnre : The most charita-
BILE plan is to regard the book as
n SIS shocker"
In view of Lord Northcliffe's re-
cent attack on the diary of Mrs,
Asquith. the London Times. in its
four-column review, is naturally un-
favorable. 1t says:
That the book will do mischief
is inevitable. Many silly and un-
derbred young women may be led
to fancy the tone and manners it
describes to be those of good society
and take the career OF it's heroine
for q model.
1T will be cited by our Bolshevists
and accepted by many ignorant
workers as proof that our states
men and politicians. and the circles
wherein they move, live lives of
philandering frivolity. 1t will be
jeered on the continent and in
America as revelation upon the
highest authority of the corruption
and hypocrisy of British manners"
News Eulogi.es Book.
The Times expresses amazement
that this hoyden, fiirt and woman
of the world" should dedicate such
a book to her husband.
A. G. Gardiner. in the Daily News,
is eulogistic, saying:
Bold and honest portraiture such
as this is too rare to die, but it
will live for another reason. This
book is something more than a
treasury OF wit and panorama of
1t is the obituary of
a system and a society. The great
world which she paints so vividly
has gone in a convulsion OF war"
MAN IIEIn TN DAku/