New-York tribune., 1922-05-21

A DEQUATELY to review "The
~ Secret Glory it is necessary
~ to begin with ar essay on the
philosophy of Arthur Machsn
or to assume that readers are familiar
with certain Of his earlier works, and,
unhappily, may not do either. To the
comparatively few persons who are ac-
quainted with his writings it is suf-
ficient to say that this book is akin to
"l'he Hill of Dreams" "Hieroglyphics
and "Dr. Stiggins'-a curious blend of
the three; to those who would know
something of the story it may be dis
closed that it has to do with the school
life of one Ambrose Meyrck, mystic
and dreamer, and his quest and
achievement of the "secret glory" sym
bolizcd by the Sangraal and finally by
martyrdom.
The two narratives are fused in a
series Of remarkable alternating cpl
sodes, the frst tiercely satiric, the sec
ond of amazing beauty. The method Of
presentation is unusual and bewilder-
ing; to encompass the life of his
strange boy the author looks backward
and forward almost multaneously.
Thus, when the book is half completed,
there has been accomplished of direct,
progressive narrative the account of
just two days events at Lupton Gan
English public SCHOOL,; yet the reader
is familiar with years of Ambrose's
life. with the history Of Lupton, and
with the lives, achievements and, in
some instances, the passing of the
sch hool's outstanding characters.
Had Mr.. Machen continued in this
manner the principal narrative, that Of
the quest for the Sangraal, might have
been concluded with the death of Am
brose before, in the second narrative,
the boy had completed his first term at
school, and book many times the
actual length of "The Secret Glory"
would have been the result. In the
middle Of the existing book, however, a
new and ingenious method is intro
duced; school days are violently ended
for the dreaming boy, and larger life
begins; the author now constantly
looks forward, and the notebooks of
Ambrose Meyrick appear. From these
we learn many of the events of his
later lafe, while in the chronological
narrative we are following him through
single week Of impish adventure in
London after his departure from the
school. The book ends abruptly in the
midst of this adventure and an epi
logue summarizes all chat has not been
told.
THERE is no denying tho difficulty
Of following events in this remark.
able book by a remarkable man, but
that is the readers fault and not Mr.
Machen's. In brief, however, this is
the order Of things: Ambrose Meyrick
saturated with the mystic ritual-and
its signifcance--of the ancient Celtic
church. sensitive, dreaming boy OF
the Welsh hills, is sent up to Lupton
where, as the story opens, he receives
brutal and undeserved thrashine
from his housemaster, Horbury, who
happens also to be his uncle-a SNUG
hypocrite and thorough cad. Am
brose has had terrible time at Lup.
ton; one thinks of Shelley at Eton
The thrashing opens the boys eyes
to the necessity for outward conform.
ity to the rules and traditions Of the
place, and apparently he does conform
With his tongue in his cheek and black
hatred In his heart, he becomes 8
brilliant student and a leading spirit
in the games he despiscs. Meanwhile
he lives his own life in secret, sus-
tanned by his perception Of world of
beauty veiled from profaner eyes
again the Secret Glory-~oyaging high
and far in imagination, and dreaming
back to his dead father and the tales
told him Of Celtic saints and seers
An affair with Nelly Foran, servant In
his uncle's household, gives him a new
symbol Of Ecstasy and helps to make
life bearable at Lupton, while thi.
same Nelly, erstwhile a victim Of the
boys uncle, has set in motion Q vague
progressive and ingenious system OF
revenge for Ambrose's injuries, which
ultimately ruins Horbury.
At tho height Of his success In the
school, when his masters are predict
ing an astonishing future for this
changed lad, Ambrose disappears, civ.
ing over everything for rowing life
with band of strolling players. His
farewell to Lupton and to his uncle il
sent back in the form of a satire of
such extraordinary brilliance and such
revolving obscenity that the French
master is constrained to believe that
Master Francois Rabelais has returned
to pay his respects to the school. Am
brose has taken Nelly with him to
London, in advance Of the play-actine
episode (Which is not set DOWN, and
week of Intoxicating and fantastic
adventure there closes the narrative