The Washington herald., 1921-04-23
THE HERALD BOOKSHELF
REVIEWS

FIGURES OF EARTH, by James
Branch Cabell. (Robert NJ. Nc
Bride and Company
II the we'll known gentleman who
suppressed "Jurgen." expects to per-
form similar feat with Figures
Of Earth" he will discover hard
going. For, although the present
tale deals with Poictesme in Ca
BELLS usual ironic manner, il sue
cessfully avoids all awkward situa-
tions which might. attract the at
tention of the censor. We suspect,
indeed, that Mr.. Cabell has more
than once availed himself OF the ad-
vice of his own hero. Manuel, and
can 1t be you who are considering
appearances?" inquiries Niafer of
that gentleman at one point in the
proceedings. Dom Manuel said
gravely: My dealings with Misery
and Misery's kindred have taught
me many thing which l shall never
forget, nor very willingly talk
about. One of these teachings,
though, is that in most affairs there
is a middle road on which there is
little traffic and comparatively easy
going. -. No, no, one need not
absolutely and openly defy conven-
tion, / perceive. in order to follow
after ones own thinking says
Manuel, shrewdly, and waggling a
gray beard" But we would not
imply hereby that Cabell is growing
old and wary. He is, perhaps. wary,
but far from old. He takes a gamin
delight, in fact. in spoofing his tor
mentors. the Philistines, Queen Stul-
titia of the rose-colored glasses,
q NJ al rhn inSiaf erfx
ing this hard old world a senti-
mental sugar-coating. Indeed. there
are times when even the simplest
of US see plainly that Mr.. Cabell is
spoofing US ourselves for our fond
illusions. our futile endeavors and
our high-sounding words Figures
of Earth" is not so hilarious a book
as "Jurgen." 1t is more world weary,
tinged with disappointment. But il
is wise and keen, and there are few
writers-even among the high
sounding names of Sinclair Lewis,
Wilson .Follett, Louis Untermeyer.
II. l.. Mencken. Hugh Walpole. and
Joseph Hergesheimer to whom the
six parts of this are dedicated-who
can handle the English language
with a more pleasing skill than
James Branch Cabell.
A LAST DIARY. by w. n. p. Bar
beIlion George H. Doran Com
pany).
When the journal of a Disap-
pointed Man" appeared, the public
speculated loudly on the identity
of "Barbellion." H. G., Wells, who
wrote the enthusiastic preface, was
accused Of having written
1t and for q time controversy ragged
loud and long. But now the mys-
terry is over. ."Barbellion" has gone.
but in his Last Diary" slim lit
tie book of self lf-revelation, there
is an Introduction by his brother;
Arthur j. Cummings, discussing his
life and character. His name was
Bruce Frederick Cummings he was
bern in North Devon IN 1883; his
life was just as he drew IT in that
journal; and he died just
as he expected to, after long wait
ing, yet suddenly. The rest is ST.
lence." This Last Diary" was writ
ten chiefly during the period when
he was waiting for the. Journal
to appear, fearing what its recep-
tion might be, hoping for what Il
DtB anu oeoAhct uopc
that he would live at least long
enough to see it published. He did.
There IL the same sharp feeling
in this book as in the Journal
and the same remarkable knowl-
edge of birds and beasts and flowers.
But II is hardly of interest except
to those who have read the earlier
volume. 49,
ORIGINAL SINNERS, by Henry d.
Nevinson (B. w. Hephsch. Incl
In the preface to this unusual
and very excellent collection of
short stories. Mr.. Neyinson writes:
There is nothing to astonish us
In original sin. What overwhelms
us with incredulous amazement is
the fieeting apparition Of virtue"
The stories, however, as the author
says. are not doctrinal in their pur-
pose. and the ''apparition of virtue"
Is not SO infrequent in these pages
as one is led to expect from the
rather cynical preface. Two of the.