New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-06-18
The Letter Box
The Book Blurh

teresied by what M Ben Ray Redman.
IN his review Of The Longest Jour
ney," said last Sunday % the mislead-
ing jacket biurb. Most Of us who buy
books have discovered that the blufb.
and tho average Advertising. Of any
work is likely 20 be wide Of our own
impression. We are. az Mr. Carney
told Mr. Bundle. all poor creatures:
we err inevitably. however honestly.
and a blurb-writer with tho best in
tontiors in the world may block the
sale Of the book he praises from tho
very buyer who would love IL best
and discuss 10 most widely May
adduce the book which. by an odd
coincidence. is reviewed in the same
columns with The Longest Journey"
for J.; seems 20 mc IN, SIR. Young.
in his estimate Of William Rose Benet's
THE First Person Singular has been
rnisled. not only By the blurb but
by the announcement Of the book a.
a mystery-story, into a mental attitude
not unlike that described by Mr. Red
man.
II I may Instance my own case. !
would never have read the book a. al
upon the recommendation Of IS an
nouneements; for. 20 quote the ener-
getic Daphne. heroine OF forgotten
masterpiece. Il utterly loathe and
abominate" mystery-s'ories 10 genera
and detective stories in particular and
will gladly die rather than read either.
II WAS because knew tho austore
intellectual beauty or much or Mr
benets work as a poet and also be-
cause ] would no more miss q Liter
airy Lobby than would forcco "a
q "Bookman's Day BOOB" that ] could
disregard every announcement ana
pounce upon The First person S.nru-
lar with. Here's a book that win boo
worth reading, no matter what ft if
about And. with 40 due Difference
20 every opposed opinion and every
dissenting voice. DO IS
IL was in the high and far or times
OF Jean lngelow. believe. that some
one asserted, "Pocts' novels are always
queer" Whoever IL was 30 doubt va
thinking Of Sarah 90 Rcf-nger." or
~" tNf 'hfii4FNf OF .'nl ID II.
Free'-those present. i arv. who over
read one o. them viii hold rp both
hands i M ch; be said with olr.I
truth - Thomas Love Peacock works
or WHISPER tho horcsy wifh 'rcm-
bling even o. Walter 10 ia Mares
Memoirs of " dget' That the queer
ness is In al these cases q brilliant
and e delightful queernoss docs rot
render u less queer. But hero. r. 'Thn
First Person singular poets
novel which is also. but nor litewiee.
brilliant; also, but not likewise. do-
lghtful. also. bgt not likewise. .ndi-
vidual. yet not IN tho least queer. u
IS n JOY from thc beginning 90 end.
We like every character the author ir-
tends US 20 Ike. and feel his own keen
distaste for the others. "Main Strorf'
was fril-length portrait In oil ~ tho
small town mind and soul: Mr. Bonot's
hook Is an etching Every touch Of
the dry-po.rt tells, and the burn &C.
seldom needed.
doubt that Nr. Bcnet ever reart
his readers 20 be bcwiilcred hv the
mystery into which he. with n frenli"
smile. takes US az once. 60 that wc GO"
with him, from the inside. tho muddlc-
headed malice Of the towns hostility
toward Adeia. But that 's noe ali
Viewed IN the light Of Mr. Bcnot's
three volumes o. poems, the merchants
Of Csthay," tho "Falconcr OF God tho
Moons Of Grandeur his first novel
becomes an astonishing achievement.
How many facets has a mind which can
produce work so utterly diss.miiar, set
so fine?
A MERE READER.
That Portrait of Edith Dale
CIR: had read Peter While ard
- knew who Edith Dale was. but
did not know that Andrew Dasbrrg's
much-discussed painting ofher wac on
exhibition in Ted Holiday Bcokahop
in Forty-soven,h street until looked
up from a pile OF books and raw what
appeared 20 he an anatomical design
Of red muscles blue veins and yellow
patches Of diseased tissue This was
the famous "The Absence Of Edith
Dale"
We in the Middle West have seen
enough Of futurism 70 have attained
the reaction TO the sane and normal.
and after regaining my faculties :
might have passed on--but for the
arrival Of two other female persons.
obviously from my own part OF The
country They were mother and
daughter. They were not just the
types ore sees in a bookstore; evil
IDENTIFY they had come 20 look az the
picture
The mother was nervous. the daugh-
ter eager. had MADE u7 ny own
mind about Dasburg's composition. hl'
I was still open 70 imprc' SONS. Anq
then 7 forgot Peter Nh.hos frcnd'
Edith Dale. who was never present ~
her own receptions forgot every
thing az stole furtive glance % the
well. 7 think it's shocking nc
elder woman snapped. clutcning ~ inc
daughters arm As II 20 drag ner ava!
from contamination.
Shocking? What 's?' Blro eyes
were wide with protest.
That nude fgure. tfcre ~ tne ma
die OF that smear of red ard yeio"'
And then. after n moments indignant
silence, "lt's positively VoiuP-
tuous,"
~ don't see any figure ~ aii-oniy
rhythmic lines and harmonious success
sions Of color masres,' Young limo
cence retorted.
~ the artist didn't mean tnat ugly
mass in the center Tor Ia iem"'e
what did he mean IL fo-.
Mother. darling, don't speak 50 loud.
THEY'LL think YOU are from Peoria.