New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
Pipes of Pan in Belfast
By Ernest Boyd

that he could not resist the temptation
20 remain a little longer. His eyes
wcro nearly closed, like cats eyes
when it sits in the sunf He seemed 20
sec, through tho green idimncss OF the
trees. p whitencss as OF some one
moving. some bathor lios kinScH, Y9r-
haps, but more probably 4 fsun or Q
wood boy. e..
Somewhere among tho tall rushe-
by tho water Aute was being played.
II played a strange tune, sad, yet with
a certain cayety singing through it,
and with an odd litte twirl AZ the
end. Tho tune was repeated three
times. the second timo. quite close 20
him. but tho third time II seemed 20
drift farther and farther over the
fields. tin he had to complete tho
fnal trill IN his imagination
Il is interesting 20 compare this
passage with one written away back
In that time OF hiss apprenticeship
which he. I think. unIustly repudiates.
Here arc a Few lines from The Garden
God"i
"He sat with his back againtt the
gray, gnarled trunk of tho tree, his
straw hat pushed back from his fore
head, tho sunlight asleep In his soft
gold hair; and whether IL was sug-
gcsted by his piping. or whether II
was merely tho beauty OF the sum
mer morning that made him think Of
II ne could never anerward tell, but
the old pagan world seemed In some
unaceountable way toihave drawn very
close 90 him, and he could half believe
that through tho lcnfy shadows OF the
trees he saw tho dim paleness OF a
rod. could half believe that he heard
q low sound Of n voice In the sleepy
noontido hum, and in the faint noise
OF falling water coming from the weir.
And presently from the deep. lumbrous
quiet there slid into the boys soul
gentle drowsiness. fs n light summer
shower sinks down into the soil
As writer OF supernatural
romance Forrest Reid IS superior 10
Algernon Blackwood, and OF his best
he can equal the uneanny fancies Of
Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan
and Tho Three Impostcrs." The Pan,
whose pipes call in his writings, IS not
the malefcent deity Of Machen; he is
moro gracious and youthful, though
the mystery Of his encounter Is none
the less fatal. But Forrest Reid Is the
novelist Of the spirit Of youth, and the
effect OF his art is such that these
groups Of boys whom he likes so much
10 study arouse and hold an interest
which often seems unjustifed by the
mere recital OF tho actual circum-
stances.
"Pirates Of the Spring" IS notable
example % this, for here IS none Of
that mystery and tragedy which throw
their shadow neIoss the young lives in
"The Spring Song" through tho per-
sonal!ty ot the homicidal maniac
Bradley. In his last novel Reid simply
ondeavors 70 present the Psychology Of
childhood In the perspective Of child
hood. 80 that the adventures and
loves and jeslousies take on the
slgnlAeauee Of vital human ex-
perienees. He neither sentlmentalizes
over them, nor looks down upon them
with adult condensation. but sees
them with the eyes Of youth and tho
understanding Of maturity.
IN THE selection Of stories and
IL sketchcs which make up "A Garden
By the Sea" the authors realistic and
romantic moods GRO we'll illustrated.
Tho titlo story, Courage" and "The
Truant" are perfect examples OF that
faneiful, Imaginative style which, while
never wholly absent from his work,
predominates so far IN certain cases
as 20 mark of what have termed bis
romantic manner.
His realism IS shown IN "The Recon-
citation" "The Accomplish and "An
Ulster Farm" but, as always, he tri-
umphs where tho theme IS in itself 60
tenuous that he has 20 rely entirely
upon his craftsmanship for success.
Such sketches as IAN Ending" with It's
evocstion Of pruges-la-Morte and "A
Garden By the Sea-" with ite dream OF
ehndhood.-with what should they hold
the reader II not by the suggestive,
brooding harmony Of style and mood7
The incident narrated in each case de-
rives its sole interest from Forrest
Reid's power Of investing the subject
with the glamour Of the moment in
which his Imagination was stirred.
he is a writer Of fine English, whose
talent is enhanced by the possession
Of qualities Celtic in their passionate
feeling for spiritual beauty in nature.
He Is certainly one Of the most dis
tlnguished Irish writer's in modern
English literature.