Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-26

" ''v VI ttHHNNlNUHlI
Sooth Why shouldn't We be disjoint
cd! When even II man writes a book
does he enter into contract to write
always sermon or dsQuisition, II
trcntisc or some dismal clanking chain
Of logic? Do we have to put off human
natur" the moment wc~ get into print
aud be consistent, SCqucnt and disqui
sitional! | am glad that women have
undertaken TO right this wrong. too,
among the many wrongs they are hunt
ing out now that they have their rights
Let us have the inalionablc right of the
csSayist to say whatever she at least
likes to change her subject az often as
her gown or her bonnet and decorate il
as riotouSly.
TT | WERE asked to name the seven
L cardinal virtues of the Cssay-which
like the cardinal virtues that sustain
mankind and in their perfect Conjunc-
ton give rise to saintship-l should say
that they are humor, ease, brevity and
charm and these be of the first order
for there is precedence even among
Cardnal-and. in second rank, wit,
irony and paradox. Egotism or per-
sonnlity, YOU ask? Every essay is
about myself that is why, out Of
sympathy. We like them. Learning
Valuable in an essay IN proportion ns
you cOntrive 10 conceal it. Miss
Kirkand's humor is pcrvading; it is
n quality inherent. not II thing sought
and worn as an external decoration
| Adopting Ones Parents" founded or
the paradox of nn inversion of life's
usual relationship it's method is deli
cate humor shot with wit and deepen
ing into Il genuine sentiment which
warns the heart as we read. Hold
lz2y' is based on an incident none the
less true. W. may well believe, that II
is prepostcrous. in which a lady, tn,
customer OF Jewish storckeepCr, has
Izzy. "a large and lusty babe" impul-
sively deposited in her arms by thu
father in his zeal to find something
which the customer has come in to buy
| But the humorous incident becomes 1
| homily: 'Somc people are foreor
dnincd to hold Izay. Some people ar,
| forcordainCd to have their lzzy held.
have held 122y. | have had my lzzy
I held for me, but am wondering. Have
, | ever been lazy myself.
"L1AMILY PHRASES" gives us {
l. vivid glimpse into the intimacics
of n roctor's household which it woulC
have been n delight and IA privilege t,
have known. 1t is written all over will
charm: and as to personality, If yol
miss it where it is everywhere, yol
are very dull reader. ! am not sur,
that I should not commend Miss Kirk
land for her command of the virtue o
brcvity as much as for anything else
BrCvity is a scnsC-rathcr an intuition
for the certain evasion of the wore
too much. Few possess it; even fcwr
practice it. And more pictures ar
spoiled by the line too many than b.
the line too few. Toward the end, Mis-
KirkIand's volume gravitatcS int
books-though "gravitate" is not pre-
ciscly the word. Our friend Mr.. New
ton. may look to his laurels after
pcrusal of "Thc Man in the Diction
ary." none other to be sure than Mr.
Nrwton'S own Dr. Johnson. An
"Shakcspeare and the Servant Prob
lem" is alike n contribution to the ap
probation of Shakespeare and to a YER
pressing contemporary social problem
/ like IN csSayist who sends me back I
old friends. | shall read George Mere
diths "Egotist" next ting with my "y
on young Crossiay. thanks to "A 30
in Book; and | may even get baC
again to Robinson trusoc. As
Jane Austen. thithrr | need no be
guilrmcnt. In an adjustment of word
Of Iauak Walton He who knows no
Jane Austen nor Miss Kirkland
,, charming essay on "NiCtuals an
Drink in Jane Austcn'S Novels de
, serves not to know either.
THE VIEW VERTICAL. Nud other essay,
By Wintfrcd k'rkland. Boston: HouGhto
MIfIlm Co 81