New-York tribune., 1922-06-18

v ID lists put thelr iricnds INTO
w their books a. frequently
and as undlsguiscdly as
English novelis.s do is question on
which I am completely ignorant and
should Ike 10 be enlightened 1t is
quite impossible for Us to tell whether
they do 50 or not on this side o. the
Atlantic. and thus the point never
arises 20 bother US when we read
American fiction. Il is quite possible
that many Of the most admirably
drawn characters in American novels
which reach Us are taken direct from
/ life, but since We don't know the
models We are able 70 concentrate our
attention upon the quality Of the draw
ing.
How different II Is when We read
the new works Of our own praetition-
ers! The London literary world Is
curiously small ono and gossip
travels from one end Of II 20 tho other
as quickly ss II could by radio. Every
one keeps an interested eye fixed upon
every ono else, and when new novel
appears the reviewers mind Il only too
frequently distracted from is proper
function Of criticism By his real or
faneled ability 20 spot the originals
Of all the characters. II has TO bo ad-
nitted that the habit Of putting friends
and enemies-into books is undoubt-
edly on the increase in England.
] think the cause may be traced, as
a rule, TO a certain tagging Of the ere
ative instinct and Of the imaginative
rowers due 70 reaction after the war.
The war was an irrelevant episode in
the life OF all artists and an exceed
ingly cxhnusting episode. II left writ
ers (ss we'll as bricklayers) with an
astonishing disinclination to work real
" hard, and It damaged 10 dis
tress!ng degree their powers Of con-
centration. Hence the tendency Of so
many English novelists at the pres
ent time 70 write romans a elef. They
arc faded.
am constantly meeting ny own
friends In other peoples books, but
! have rarely come across ono Of them
depicted with such shameless accuracy
Of detail as the well known lawyer
whom Gilbert Cannsn has chosen TO in
troduce into his new novel, "sembal,"
under the name OF Simon Clay. It Is
not a portrait. Save for one or two
rather spiteful touches Of exaggera-
ton it is a photograph. The mans
ancestry, education, profession, house,
furniture and personal habits are sll
described with a wealth Of detail
which one feels certain could only
have been acquired upon hospitable oc-
casions.
This kind of thing must add terror
and excitement also. 70 the lives OF
those who make a practice Of enter
tanning authors at dinner. Sometimes
1t gives grave ofense. And yet more
often, suspect, it gives the victim
a peculiar secret satisfaction.
II the original Of Simon Clay ap-
pears in Mr. Cannsn's pages as a much
duller figure than he actually is, al
least the originals Of Mr. D. II. Law
renee's portraits must have the feeling
that they have posed, however unwill-
ingly. for good artist. Argyle. in
"Asron's Rod" is in some ways a gross
I caricature Of singularly delightful
personality. But even the caricature
has distinction.
In "Pussum," a minor character in
Women in Love-" Lawrence has
worked from a not very interesting
young woman and transformed her into
thrilling and attractive figure
Lawrence's practice is 10 take his ma.
terial where he finds Il, and the justi.
fcation for his magrie habits lies in
what he does with this material when
II is collected.
The same may be said, OF course. fol
Ny. George Moore. who moreover has
the honesty 20 label his subtle and
imaginative character studies with tho
real names Of his models. Ave,
"Salve" ard "vale" form a trilogy O.:
novels which are supreme Of their type
They are as different from Mr. Can
mans "sembsl7 as a portrait By
Augustus Joha is different from a pass
por, photograph.
Mr. Il. c. Wells is writer freely
suspected Of making literary use Of his
friends and OF scoring OF his enemies;
but this suspicion may arise. al likely
a. not. from his propensity for making
al public as possible the secret places
Of his own heart. He may have had
lapses. but should imagine that the
most memorable characters in all his
books have been his own creations.
As 70 the ethics of the whole bust
ness. am afraid I an unable 20 take
up a lofty moral standpoint am a
sinner myself ard il is not for ne 20
throw stones az the other fellows. Ny
personal belief is that al is much
farer in at than in either love or
war-provided the art is good enough.