Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-17

The hrst issue OF tho Literary
Digest International Book Re-
wow which mas Just been issued.
contains mos, Interesting ar
ilcie. Concerning james Branch =
Cabeil's Human Comedy" by Ed
win Bjorkmdn Through tho
courtesy Of clifford s.nyth, cd!-
tor OF tho international Book
Review. The Times dispatch
prints extracts today from Mr.
Bjorkman's article
Tho 'Jurgen" episode is ended The
nature OF It's end ought to be highly
satisfactory 20 the author for more
than one reason. He may now point
10 the courts verdict IN proof. not
only of tho responsibility Of his
work. but of its "unuauai literary
merit" The should assure for FUR
gen the niche properly belonging to
~ W!;h Mr. Cah"ivs art thus re-
placed ia it's natural light. /, may be
possible 10 demand something like
due appreciation FOR It literary
achievement which. as whole. IL
held by many to bc In certain re-
ep"cts unique.
II is ia. ever dominating regard
for tho possibility OF beauty In the
written word that. more >ihan any
thing else. distinguishes Mr. Cabcll
from the vast majority Of American
writer's OF fiction nuw living. \ few
of these possess the same regard.
though hardly ia the same dcgrec
nud strive earnestly 20 be guided by
Il. though rarely with the same sue
cess. The greater number seem total
L. 20 lack II. or els" TO sCorn il 40
beneath attention. And. too. many
arc imDcllcd or swayrd by the
fashions az ,ho day. rather than by
any authentic promptinrs from with
!u their own natures. In all such re-
spoc,s. Mr. Cahcll forms most
s'r.k!u- and r"assuring coutras, In
c"ssantIy he returns 4" writing per
fec,ly OF beautiful happenings" as tn"
literary wprkinan's passion and creed,
aud !Ecc&s4utly. without regard for
time or Labor or external cons idcr-
atoms OF any Kind. he applies this
creed 10 las own work. As ono reads
ono luminous page after another, on"
Is struck not only ~ Tia. felicity OF
phrase ana Hpinoss Of Imagery that
,.'al!zo his mos, casual writings. but
Win what might be called the ar
eh!,ecurai !Uinncu!atcucss of the
total work as VOL au OK It's minor
and major compoueH, parts. Every
work and sentence aut passage
stands suhordiuhtcd 10 a carefully
RECOMMENDED scl"mr that leaves no
detail unattended ana no ends hang
ing loose.
From his poetic beginnings Mr.
Caboll has carried into prose suudry
telling devices, among which the re-
fratn must be placed foremost, In
every one OF his works one en-
counters recurring expressions that
arc woven into the text Ike SO many
Wagncr!an le!t-motifs. and every re-
currence adds another link TO In.
narrative or argumcntattvc chain.
They serve also 10 establish certain
objective points So ARMY that il be-
comes impossible To miss them o.
forget them. No modern advertiser
estecms more kcen!y than MIR. Cabcli
tho value OF Jud!cious repetition, but
he knows, In addition. the trick OF
getting esthct!c as well as ut!litariar
returns on that value. In i!Iustra-
ton may be mentioned his use OF
tho term Jcuuc premier and tho
phrase OF "prctcnd!ng TO be what
matte portrait of Richard sheridan
IN Beyond Lie" These two express
sions cOnilne one o: the most aston
ishing careers recorded In modern
history. by skilfuily ringing the
changes on them. Mr. Cabe!l carries
US brcathlcssly from the first re-
hplcndent entry al Bath to the anti
Ciimact!c exit. with its amuslng:y
convincing characterization o: the
completed career as IAN cNtrava-
fanza such AS no thoughtful arts;
wouId care to perpe,rato."
In spite OF his ins!stcnt champion
ship Of the literary tendency which
lie chooses TO name Romantic. ami
which he places in sharp budapest
ton 10 It much dctestcd and reviled
Realism. MIR. Cabcll himself is rather
C!ass!cist. both in style and struc-
turc--and. OF course. there is nothing
moro antipodal to the true Roman
ticist.
The most casual analysis OF Mr..
Cabel!s hooks--any or all of them
d!scloscs at once II rigidly perfected
scheme OF construction. Plot aud
style are equally subjected to this
discipline from within. Typical are
the poems contained in From tho
Hidden Way" said to have been
written By Mr.. Cabell In his teens
as preparation TO his subsequent
prose compositions. Tn. metrical
schemes OF these poems are almost
Invariably derived from the Intricate
riGidity OF form which allowed the
poetry or the troubadours to fill a
disciplinary purpose in literature
somewhat akin to that which
scholastlcism served in philosophy
The Inventors OF so many poetic pat-
terms that today have little more
than historic interest were above all
practitioners in perfection. And tina:
10 just what Mr.. Cabell Is. first and
last. whether he write verse or prose
on themes derived from Lichneld or
from Poictesme
The closeness of thought and COM
position that mark his charming,
but comparatively negligible poems,
may be traced through any one of
his prose works. "Jurgen" not cx-