New-York tribune., 1922-09-03

V for them forced them once
again into print declined, on
principle, to tainper with the texts Of
hic early novels, Mr.. George Moose
seems now TO be devoting all his ener-
gies to rewriting his hooks for "defini-
tive" editions. "fn Single Strictness,' .
which has just been produced here,
at high price, for subscribers, is
founded on volume Of stories, called
"Celibates," which first saw the light
about thirty years ago. "Celibates'
no longer meets with Mr.. Moore's criti-
cal approval; but his later treatment
Of the same themes, If less crude, has
nothing like the force and freshness
of the original. Having demolished
I"Celibatesn and rccast it to his liking,
Mr.. Moore is at present contemplating
an onslaught upon Impressions and
Opinions" Of this book, he writes:
Il turned against it as / had against
'Cenbates,' and fell to thinking of
Marius among the ruins of Carthage
AT last book of talks began to shape
itself iii my mind. Another big job
of work, | said, six or eight months, at
least, for little can be saved from I'm
pressions and Opinions and forth
right began to consider "A Farley as
possible title for the new book"
If Mr.. George Moore's creative in
stinct has begun to fail him with the
years, the same cannot be said of his
critical faculty which has only mel
lowed. "a Farley" will be welcomed
not only by collectors-often a syno-
nym for speculators-but by readers
also.
am delighted to hear that move
ment has been started at st. Andrews
University, in Scotland, to raise some
kind of permanent memorial to Andrew
Lang. Lang never quite achieved, dur
ing his lifetime, the fame which he had
undoubtedly earned, both as a scholar
and man of letters. suppose this
was due in part to his versatility and
to the wide range of his Interests, and
in part to his unruly wit. We British
like our historians and our anthro-
pologlsts to be persons of profound So
lemnity, to have mo nonsense" about
| them. But Lang, fortunately for the
world, If not for himself, had great
deal of nonsense about him. and very
delightful nonsense it was, too AS
poet, translator, novelist, essayist
critic and scholar it may be said of
! him, with more than the usual amount
of truth, that he touched nothing which
he did not adorn. He had a genuine
| passion for literature and almost uner-
ring judgment; and no man of his
generation worked harder than hee did
for the maintenance Of a high standard
of critical values. He spent much of
his life in the hard drudgery of lite
rary journalism and fancy that he
was for many years publisher
reader. He certainly knew all there
was to know about the practical side
of the literary calling. One of my
most treasured possessions is copy
from the library of the late Egerton
Castle--of his delicious essay, ''How
to Fail in Literature" which is as
pointed to-day as it could possibly
have been in 1890, the year of its pub
lication. After describing all the viii
lainies of style which the aspirant to
failure may acquire for a diligent
study of the worst models, he proceeds
| to detail the more direct methods OF
achieving .unsuccess.. "The best way
of losing it (the MS) and the safest
us 70. give it to somebody you know
who has once met some man or woman
of letters. This somebody must be in
structed to ask that busy and perhaps
|
MS. and place it; that is, induce some
poor publisher or editor to pay for
and publish it. Now the man or WON
an of letters will use violent language
on receiving your clumsy brown paper
parcel Of illegible wares because he OIL
she has no more to do with the matter
than the crossing sweeper. Not
only can you secure failure thus your.
self, but you can so worry and badger
| your luckless victim that he, too, will
| be unable to write we'll till he has
forgotten you and your novel and all
the annoyance of anxiety you have
given him. -. Much may be done by
asking him for 'introductions to an ed
itor or publisher. These gentry don't
want introductions; they want good
you behave thus, the man whom you
are boring will write to his publisher:
Dear Brown: A wretched creature
who knows my great-aunt asks me &c
recommend his rubbish to you. | send
it by to-day's post and | wish you JOY
of it. This kind of introduction will dc
you excellent service in smoothing the
| path to failure 90 BY al
means bore many literary stranger.
with correspondence; this will give
them lively recollection of your name
| ana an intense desire to DO you bat
turn if, opportunity arises" I think
I this passage must have been writer
from wealth Of bitter experience, fol
beneath rather ferocious exterior
Andrew of the brindled hair" was no
toriously kindhearted and took infinite
trouble to help young people who hat
no claim upon his attention whatever
Even after this outburst, he records il
| o footnote that he was inundated with
MSS. from strangers who had "appre
ciated his lecture!