New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
IKE most Irish writers Of real
distinction, Forrest Reid Is

scarcely known 20 the vast
public which concerns itself
with the potboilsrs OF ST. John Ervine'
tho digestive novels Of George Biz
-inyhAua and the stream OF sentimental
y-lsl eet.on from Samuel Lover 10
Conal O'Riordan. IL is eomsnenly imsg-
ined that his name Is pseudonym'
aad his curious affection FOR the
brsssn philistine provineiality Of his
native Belfast serves only 70 enhance
the paradox Of his existence. Never
was a name more suggestive OF an au-
hor's work than that o. Forrest Reid; {;
mover was an authors work more
amazingly remote from tho eircum-
stSuess Of his daily life.
Irs that city OF bsrbarous and bloody
political feuds there lives probably the
only ertieulste Irishman in ireland who
is unaware Of Irish politics, whose work
may be scanned in vain FOR che fa'ntest
alluslon 20 the srdofs and enduranees
Of seven centuries Of struggle. In his
excellent study Of W. p. Yeats. Forrest
Reid actually succeeded in dissocist-
Ing him entirely from the literary
movement Of which he was the center.
lie is an Irishman for whom the eI-
ter!or Irish world does not exist.
he fas published eight novels and
volume Of short Stories: "The King
dom Of Twilight" "Ths Garden Cod"
The Brscknels." Following Dark
ness" Tho Gentle Lover" AT the
Door Of tho Gate" THE Spring Song"
"a Garden by the Seas Stories and
skstcnes," and "Pirates Of the Spring"
His hrst book. Tho Kingdom Of TVi-
light" which was published IN 1905.
received the eommendAtion OF Henry
James, 20 whom the author dedicated
the following year HIS Garden God" q
handsome. fin dc steele. pervcrse work,
Issued in luxurious and limited
edition. and now almost unproeurable.
Forrest Reid has disowned both of
them, and - Is not until 1911, whom
Tho Brseknels' appeared, that the
work Of his maturity may be said %
hnve begun. with It he laid tho foun-
dstson Of a career which has made
him the delight Of what stendhsl called
"the happy few" but which Will hard
ly chaleuge tho commercial success Of
his moro commonplace eouPatTiots,
only thrss Of bis books are definite
" " studies Of Ulster life, although
vague and casual references in such
works as "The Spring Song indicate
that. ~ far as bis people are not out
side of time and space they ere in
that anomalous territory nov Officially
known a. Northern Ireland" What
NAY be called his Irish novels are "Ihe
nraelnels." Following Darkness
usl2) and ~. the Door Of the Cato"
(isO5), but they. too, are essentially
occult. pagan and mystic.
The first ia the story OF On abnormal
boy. haunted by the malignant In
auenees Of the moon, and by tho nys'
terry OF the house IN which he lives
~. se.ne Of a murder. Denis Brscknel
is Killed by tho same supernatural
forces az the boy In James's "The Turn
Of the Screw" IN Following Dark
pss,s an autobiographieal work 20
sone extent, he has written q slow
moving and srresting study Of spiritu-
al loneliness, a remarkable snolyS!s OF
youthful psychology, and the pioneer
Of all those novels Of sehoolboy life
which came into fashion With "s!nister
Street"
A realistic and Devastating narrative
81 middle class life IN Belfast IS "At
the Door Of the Gate" packed with In
e.dent and satire. and rather unlike
Forrest Reds other novels, except foI
The curious symbolism Of q murders
! vision az the end Of the story.
y Typical and finest expression Of For
rest Reds genius 10 found In THE
Spring Song" and, IN lighter mood, In
pirates Of tho Spring There be has
returned with sursr hand 70 The
themes Of bis earliest writing, TO "th'
land where memories end and dreams
begin II is hardly q novel, but rather
= reverie over youth, picture Of
group Of boys and girls. Of whom ont
IS dreamer and sensitive 20 the cal
Of Pan. It's power lies IN tho besut'
and suggestiveness Of the style, IN Tho
easy manner IN which The author car
effect transition from the world o.
reality 70 the world Of dream For ex'
ample;
"He was getting slespier and sleepier
NJ NV