New-York tribune., 1922-06-04
A Bookman's Day Book
By Burton Rascoe


telligence. They are easy 20 read /
Miss Dell for concision and rspidity Of
might be studied with
profit by many OF our serious young
novelists. Another point in her favor
ss writer OF popular appeal is that
abe invariably treats Of pathological
subjects. but in 80 ingenious a manner
and in 80 exalted tone OF moral pur-
pose that her readers are probably not
conscious Of the raciness Of what she
writes. In the hands of an unsenti-
mental realist the same stories she
tells without offending anybody would
outrage the pruderies Of many persons.
Tonight we went 10 Mrs. Wylie's,
where we found John Dos Passos, Rob
ert Nathan, John Peale Bishop. Doro-
thy Earle and Miss Spesre. Miss Speare
pulled a bright line about "the young
inefectuals"; Mrs. Wylie told us how
hard IL had been 20 get around 20 the
writing Of the novel she has about COM
pleted: Dos Passos said he was finish
ing up his new novel, and | told him
about "Indelibls." BY Elliot Paul, which
7 had read in the afternoon and which
made me for a time rather inarticulate
with enthusiasm.
MAY %
Lunched with Henry Sell. who told
me that William T. Hornaday's "The
Minds and Manners OF Wild Animals
is the most interesting book he has en-
countered in months. Henry has q
theory that the leveling process at
work in all countries now is an attempt
OF the racial spirit TO give the human
stock new vigor. Life is running
down" said Henry. "and in order to
save itself the human race is bent on
producing tree trunks, not blossoms.
The artist, the exotic, tho useless or
nament is doomed. The prohibition
wave. the anti-tobscco propaganda, the
health and exercise campaigns are all
symptoms. There is no fighting Il. The
world is tending toward achieving
paradise Of the average man. and IN
that paradise the genius, the neurotic'
the artist type has no welcome"
Went 70 Bronxville this afternoon
70 stay over night with Ben Ray Red.
man. Ray and read and talked until
very late. and he told me that Harvey
Fercussons The Blood of the Con-
ouerors' is one Of the deftest and most
compcllinr pieces OF literary crafts
manship ever achieved by an American.
at is really extraordinary" he said.
'You don't realize until you have fin
ished the book how cleverly Fergus
son has kept himself out and let the
story tell itself. II is n fine example
Of objective presentation" Before 60
ing 10 sleep read the essay on
Wycherley, by George Palmer in MS
excellent study OF The Comedy OF
Manners" | also read some OF the
"Basia" Of Johannes Secundus. and
some Of the notices and reviews Oscar
Wilde wrote when he was on 4 woman's
magazine. These latter pieces arc ex-
cruciatingly funny-quite serious notes
about how Miss So-and-so is prepared
to give embroidery lessons, 81 cetera.
all written in most vapid style.
MAY 30
Went 70 Ernest Boyd's house TO-
night. and George Jean Nathan, II. l..
Mencken, Thomas Beer and T. r. Smith
were there. and Carl Van Cechten,
Fania Marinof and Mr.. and Mrs. II. c.
Bum came in later. Mencken and
Nathan related some episodes in the
life Of that extraordinary wit, Wilson
Miner. and there was much talk. jokes
and hilarity. but don't remember any
Of il because ! drank much more than
was good for me. 1t was a jovial and
noisy party.
MAY 81
Made the usual resolutions this
morning. Very low and depressed and
found difficulty in working. Read
Christopher Morleys "Translations
from the Chinese" which braced and
cheered me greatly. Here's another In
stance Of how we'll man can do when
he lets himself 90 and writes without
serious intent. Witter Bynner col
lGborated with Arthur Dawson ficke IN
the hoax, "Spectra," in which they at
tempted 10 deride the more. sextraya-
gant OF the yers librsts; but in doing
so Bynner let himself 20 under the
pseudonym Emmanuel Morgan, and
wrote better poems than he ever wrote
under his own name. Then this alter
ego got 20 functioning in spite OF his
ego and he produced THE Beloved
Stranger" which contains more beau
tiful and effective pieces. Bynner says
he doesn't take them seriously but
just the same they represent his best
work. probably for that very reason,
and, curiously, he has gone IN for
translating the Chinese in the lmmanu-
al Morgan manner Morley wrote these
fake translations under q pseudonym.
largely as a joke; but he did them so
well they have the effect Of agreeable
spontaniety. There are surprising turns
OF expression. wit. amiable satire and
amusing reflections. Probably Sher-
wood Anderson is right in saying that
too many people try 10 be writers in
stead Of writing. You can see how u
is A man has an editorial position
where his stuff is signed. He becomes
conscious Of his audience, feeling all
the time that he must please certain
people and not give offense To others.
Intangible censorships arc always in
terfering with his frank and sp0n-
taneous expression. Then comes time
when he writes something, as lark,
under another name. He can let him
self 60 then. He is free. He won't be
blamed for what he says. II II is bad
he needn't worry about IL. And IL is
usually good Morley's skits in his
new book are a real delight.